Vladimir Putin expressed ‘deepest condolences’ after the 91-year-old died following a ‘serious and prolonged illness’
World leaders and celebrities paid tribute to former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev for changing “the course of history” by ending the Cold War following his death on Tuesday night at the age of 91.
Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his “deep sympathies” over the death of the last Soviet leader, his spokesman Dmitry Peskov said soon after the news of his passing.
“In the morning he will send a telegram of condolences to his family and friends,” Mr Peskov told Russian news agencies.
The two men were reported to mistrust each other.
Mr Putin blamed Gorbachev for the collapse of the Soviet Union. Gorbachev considered Mr Putin’s invasion of Ukraine in February a betrayal.
Boris Johnson said the Kremlin is “intent on undoing the good” of Gorbachev and attempting to “recreate that Soviet empire” with its war in Ukraine, as he paid tribute to the former leader on Tuesday night.
The Prime Minister said: “Mikhail Gorbachev is one of those people who changed the world and unquestionably changed it for the better. When you look at what he did to make Europe whole, free, to give freedom to the countries of the former Soviet Union – it was quite an extraordinary thing.
“And what I worry about today is that the current leadership in Moscow is intent on undoing the good of Mikhail Gorbachev, and is intent on a revanchist attempt, a revenge-driven attempt, to recreate that Soviet empire, and you’re seeing that in Ukraine – that’s the tragedy, something that Mikhail Gorbachev would have thought was absolutely unthinkable, unwarranted.”
Joe Biden hailed Gorbachev’s reforms as “the acts of a rare leader” who had “the imagination to see that a different future was possible and the courage to risk his entire career to achieve it.”
Gorbachev, Mr Biden said, helped to forge a “safer world and greater freedom for millions of people”.
Irish premier Micheal Martin said: “I am deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Mikhail Gorbachev, one of the most significant political figures of the late 20th century.
“At a time when the threat to the world of nuclear destruction was very real, he saw the urgent need for rapprochement with the West and for greater openness and reform – glasnost and perestroika – in the then Soviet Union.
“His leadership helped to end the arms race between the East and West, end the Cold War and bring down the Iron Curtain that had divided Europe since the Second World War.”
Conservative leadership contender Rishi Sunak said the legacy of Gorbachev will be “remembered by us all”.
Mr Sunak tweeted on Wednesday: “Gorbachev’s courage and vision helped bring peace to Europe and built a freer, more open society for millions. His legacy will be remembered by us all.”
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said Gorbachev was “one of the great figures” of the last century who will “forever be remembered”.
-Telegraph