The last leader of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev, died on Tuesday at the age of 91 in Russia, a Moscow hospital said, quoted by Russian news agencies. “Today (Tuesday) night, after a long serious illness, Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev died,” the Central Clinical Hospital (TSKB) under the Russian presidency said.
Very quickly, major international leaders hailed the memory of the man who had won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1990 for his role in ending the East-West confrontation in the last century.
“A key figure in European history”
“Without him, it would not have been possible to end the Cold War peacefully,” tweeted former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
In France, Emmanuel Macron praised a “man of peace whose elections opened a path to freedom for the Russians.” The President of the Republic believes that Mikhail Gorbachev had “a commitment to peace in Europe (which) changed our common history.”
A few minutes earlier, Valérie Pécresse, a former presidential candidate, greeted “an outstanding figure in European history.”
“It changed the course of history”
In the UK, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson paid tribute to the “courage and integrity” of the former Soviet leader. The UN secretary-general expressed his “deep sadness” and saluted “a unique statesman who changed the course of history.”
“He did more than anyone else to bring about a peaceful end to the Cold War,” Antonio Guterres added in a press release, saying “the world had lost a great world leader, committed to multilateralism and a tireless defender of peace.” .
Shortly after the announcement of the death of the last leader of the USSR, Vladimir Putin expressed his “deep condolences”. “He will send a telegram of condolences to the family and loved ones in the morning” from Mikhail Gorbachev, said Dmitry Peskov, quoted by the TASS news agency.
Source: BFM TV
