END OF AN ERA: Mikhail Gorbachev, last Soviet leader who ended cold war without bloodshed, dies aged 91
Mikhail Gorbachev, the former Soviet Union president and Nobel Peace Prize winner, credited with ending the Cold War, has died aged 91
Gorbachev ended the Cold War without bloodshed but failed to prevent the collapse of the Soviet Union, while introducing Russia to western brands like Pizza Hut and McDonald’s.
Gorbachev, the last Soviet president, forged arms reduction deals with the US and partnerships with Western powers to remove the Iron Curtain that had divided Europe since WWII.
When pro-democracy protests swept across Eastern Europe in 1989, he refrained from using force, but the protests fuelled aspirations for autonomy in the 15 republics of the Soviet Union, which disintegrated over the next two years in chaotic fashion.
Gorbachev’s status in Russia was not as clear cut as in the west however, with many Russians viewing him as the leader who brought down the Soviet Union, weakening Russia’s global status and bringing in unwanted western influences.
Prime minister Boris Johnson lead UK tributes, saying he’s “saddened to hear of the death of Gorbachev.
“I always admired the courage & integrity he showed in bringing the Cold War to a peaceful conclusion. In a time of Putin’s aggression in Ukraine, his tireless commitment to opening up Soviet society remains an example to us all.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said he was “one of the great figures of the 20th Century, Mikhail Gorbachev’s pursuit of reform forged a path for diplomacy over conflict. He will forever be remembered as the last leader of the Soviet Union who had the courage and conviction to end the Cold War.”
Former foreign secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind told BBC News he was “of Mandela” status, as he “changed the world” without bloodshed.