Vladimir Putin has stated that Mikhail Gorbachev had a “major impact on the course of world history” and developed his “own solutions to important challenges.”
The 91-year-old died on Tuesday following a lengthy illness for which he had been receiving treatment at the Moscow Central Clinical Hospital.
The Russian president expressed his condolences to his family in a statement “He led our nation during a time of complex, dramatic transition, as well as significant foreign policy, economic, and social difficulties.
He endeavored to provide his remedies to pressing issues after recognizing that adjustments were essential.
Mr. Putin also acknowledged Mr. Gorbachev’s “outstanding humanitarian, charitable, and educational activities” in recent years.
One of the most influential leaders of the 20th century, he is renowned for having ended the Cold War without violence, although he was unable to prevent the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.
Separately, a Kremlin official characterized Mr. Gorbachev as a “unique individual… who will forever be a part of the history of our country.”
He emphasized, though, that his “romanticism” regarding the West was unjustified.
On Tuesday, it was revealed that Mr. Gorbachev had died after a lengthy illness. The 91-year-old had been receiving care at Moscow’s Central Clinical Hospital.
A ‘rare leader’ who helped make the world safer.
His passing prompted accolades from foreign leaders, including US President Joe Biden and outgoing British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Mr. Biden lauded Mr. Gorbachev’s accomplishments in believing “in a better society” and significantly minimizing the likelihood of a third-world conflict.
“As the leader of the USSR, he collaborated with President Reagan to lower the nuclear arsenals of our two countries, much to the relief of those yearning for an end to the nuclear arms race,” he said in a statement.
“These actions were those of an exceptional leader. One who possessed the foresight to recognize that a different future was possible and the fortitude to jeopardize his entire career to accomplish it.
The outcome was a safer planet and greater freedom for millions of individuals.
What was Gorbachev’s impact?
To dissolve the Iron Curtain, which had separated Europe since World War II, Mr. Gorbachev secured armaments reduction agreements with the United States and cooperation with Western powers.
It led to the fall of the Berlin Wall and Germany’s reunification. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1990 for his efforts.
In 1985, when Mr. Gorbachev was appointed general secretary of the Soviet Communist Party, he endeavored to revitalize the communist system and form a new union based on a more equal partnership between the 15 USSR countries.
In contrast, both communism and the union collapsed within six years.
He sought simultaneous and too ambitious political and economic reforms, unleashing forces he could not control.
In 1989, as pro-democracy demonstrations swept across communist Eastern Europe, he refrained from using force, in contrast to his predecessors who had used tanks to quell uprisings in Hungary in 1956 and Czechoslovakia in 1968.
However, the rallies fueled the republics’ desire for autonomy, and the previous Soviet leader failed to predict the intensity of nationalist sentiment.
The Prime Minister contrasts ‘Putin’s hostility
In his eulogy for Mr. Gorbachev, Boris Johnson expressed sadness at his passing.
In a tweet, he stated that he had “always appreciated the guts and integrity he showed in bringing an end to the Cold War.”
“Amid Putin’s aggressiveness in Ukraine, his unwavering dedication to opening up Soviet society remains an inspiration to us all,” he said.
However, many Russians never forgave Mr. Gorbachev for the turmoil his reforms caused, as they viewed the ensuing decline in their level of living as an unacceptable price to pay for democracy.
Later in life, he stated that he had not considered using widespread force to try to keep the USSR together because he feared that a nuclear nation would descend into anarchy.
“The nation was completely stocked with weapons. And it would have immediately precipitated a civil war in the nation “he said.
