Michael Gorbachev is dead. The Russian Nobel Peace Prize winner and former Soviet head of state died in Moscow at the age of 91. Politicians around the world reacted with sadness to the news. A selection:
UN Secretary-General António Guterres described Gorbachev as a “unique statesman” who changed the course of history. A statement read: “He did more than anyone else to bring the Cold War to a peaceful end.” Gorbachev put his statement that peace is not unity in similarity, but unity in diversity, with his policy into practice.
Of the Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his deepest condolences, according to a spokesman. He is “in deep mourning” and will send a telegram to the family on Wednesday morning. In recent years, Gorbachev has repeatedly asked Putin not to further restrict the freedom of the media and elections.
Also the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson paid tribute to the historical legacy of the late Russian Nobel Peace Prize winner. “I have always admired the courage and integrity he showed in bringing the Cold War to a peaceful end,” Johnson wrote on Twitter, referring to the political situation in Europe: “At a time of Putin’s aggression in In Ukraine, his tireless commitment to opening up Soviet society remains a role model for all of us.” Gorbachev, son of a Russian father and a Ukrainian mother, is said to have rejected the war in Ukraine.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen highlighted the importance of the former Soviet head of state for Europe. “He played a crucial role in ending the Cold War and the fall of the Iron Curtain,” von der Leyen wrote on Twitter. She described Gorbachev as a leader who was reliable and respected. “He paved the way for a free Europe. We will never forget this legacy.”
Germany owes a lot to Gorbachev, wrote Federal Education Minister Bettina Stark-Watzinger (FDP) on twitter. “He ushered in the end of the Cold War, enabled Germany’s reunification and gave his country a democratic momentum. A brave man of conviction whose voice will be missed.”
Without Gorbachev, “the peaceful revolutions in the countries of the Eastern Bloc would not have been conceivable here,” she wrote Bundestag Vice President Katrin Göring-Eckardt (Greens) on twitter. “His words have encouraged us, made me strong.”