Vibrant tributes in the West contrasted with Putin’s subdued “condolences”.

No one is a prophet in his own country: This expression especially resonates when Mikhail Gorbachev He passed away on Tuesday evening at the age of 91. If the death of the last chief ussr Its key role in ending the Cold War and its struggle for peace have prompted rousing tributes in the West, contrasting with the Kremlin’s reticence.

President of Russia Vladimir Putin He simply expressed “his deepest condolences” and “will send a telegram of condolence to the former leader’s family and loved ones on (Wednesday) morning,” a Kremlin spokesman said. President of the United States Joe Biden Hailed Mikhail Gorbachev as a “rare leader”. His actions are those of a leader who has “the imagination to see that another future is possible and the courage to risk his whole life to achieve it.” The result was a safer world and more freedom for millions of people.

Johnson’s partnership with Ukraine

For United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, “the world has lost an outstanding world leader, committed to multilateralism and a tireless defender of peace”. The UN chief hailed him as “a unique statesman who changed the course of history” and “did more than anyone else to bring about a peaceful end to the Cold War”. “I will always admire his courage and integrity to end the Cold War,” the British prime minister tweeted. Boris Johnson. “During the time of (Vladimir) Putin’s occupation of Ukraine, his tireless commitment to opening up Soviet society is an example to all of us,” he stressed.

For Emmanuel Macron, Mikhail Gorbachev is a “man of peace whose choices opened the way to freedom for Russians. His commitment to peace in Europe has changed our common history,” the French president said.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen hailed him as “a trusted and respected leader” who “played a key role in ending the Cold War and bringing down the Iron Curtain. He paved the way for a free Europe. Finally, former Colombian President and Nobel Peace Prize 2016, Juan Manuel Santos, Mikhail Gorbachev — who won the Nobel in 1990 — is a “champion of peace.” “The world needs more leaders like him,” he wrote in a tweet.