World welcomes ‘one of a kind’ ex-Soviet leader Gorbachev

World leaders paid tribute to the last leader of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev, who died in Moscow on Tuesday at the age of 91.

The man who played a key role in ending the Cold War was hailed as a “rare leader” who helped change the course of world history.

– Russia –

President Vladimir Putin said Mr Gorbachev was “a politician and politician who had a tremendous impact on world history” and expressed his “deepest condolences” to his friends and family.

“He led our country through a period of complex and dramatic changes,” Putin added.

“He deeply understood the need for reform and sought to come up with unique solutions to pressing problems.”

Dmitry Muratov of Russia, who won last year’s Nobel Peace Prize, praised his fellow Nobel laureate for “putting human rights above nations and valuing peaceful skies above individual power.”

“He despised war,” he said. “He has given us an incredible gift to both the nation and the world. He has given us 30 years of peace. There is no threat of global or nuclear war.”

– America –

President Joe Biden has praised “a rare leader…a leader with the imagination to see that an alternative future is possible and the courage to risk his entire career to achieve it.”

“The result is a safer world and more freedom for millions of people,” Biden said.

– Germany –

President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said Germany “must thank him for his decisive contribution to the unification of Germany”.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz praised Gorbachev’s role in reunifying Germany, but lamented that he “died when democracy failed in Russia”.

Former Chancellor Angela Merkel, who grew up in East Germany, said Gorbachev “fundamentally changed my life” and showed that “one politician can change the world for the better”.

-Italy-

“His desire for peace and his opposition to imperialist visions of Russia won him the Nobel Peace Prize,” said Prime Minister Mario Draghi.

“These messages are increasingly up to date in the face of the tragedy of the invasion of Ukraine.”

– united nations –

UN Secretary-General António Guterres said in a statement that he was “the one and only politician who changed the course of history” and “did more than anyone else to bring about a peaceful end to the Cold War.” said.

– european union –

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen hailed a “trusted and respected leader” who “paved the way for a free Europe”.

His “significant role” in bringing down the Iron Curtain and ending the Cold War left a legacy that “we will never forget.”

-NATO-

Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Gorbachev’s “vision for a better world continues to be an example” and his “historic reforms …[that]opened up the possibility of a partnership between Russia and NATO.” ‘, he paid tribute to that.

-China-

Beijing praised Gorbachev for “actively contributing to the normalization of Sino-Soviet relations.”

– England –

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he “always admired the courage and integrity” shown by Gorbachev in ending the Cold War.

“In the era of Putin’s aggression in Ukraine, his tireless efforts to open up Soviet society remain an example for all of us.”

-France-

President Emmanuel Macron described Gorbachev as “a man of peace” who opened the way to freedom for the Russian people. His commitment to peace in Europe changed our common history.”

– Nobel Committee –

The Norwegian Nobel Committee said that Gorbachev was awarded the Peace Prize in 1990 for his “leading role in the process that led to the peaceful end of the Cold War, including important arms control and international confidence-building initiatives. ” was awarded for.

The commission praised him for “bringing greater openness to Soviet society and enabling the peoples of Eastern Europe to regain their freedom.”

-Israel-

“Mikhail Gorbachev was one of the most extraordinary men of the 20th century,” said President Isaac Herzog, calling him a “brave and visionary leader.”

– Sweden –

Foreign Minister Anne Linde said Gorbachev inspired her at a young age and gave her “hope for an alternative future away from oppression and the Cold War”.

“It is very sad that the current leadership is going the opposite way,” she wrote on Twitter.

Last update: Aug 31, 2022 01:16 PM