QUOTES-Global reactions to the death of last Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev

He did more than any other individual to bring about the peaceful end of the Cold War. "The world has lost a towering global leader, committed multilateralist, and tireless advocate for peace." GERMAN CHANCELLOR OLAF SCHOLZ "We won't forget that the perestroika had made it possible for Russia to be able to try to undertake the establishment of a democracy, that democracy and freedom were possible in Europe, that Germany could be unified, that the Iron Curtain disappeared." "He died at a time when not only democracy in Russia has failed ...

Mikhail Gorbachev, who ended the Cold War without bloodshed but failed to prevent the collapse of the Soviet Union, died on Tuesday at the age of 91, hospital officials in Moscow said.

Below are some reactions from around the world: RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN

He expressed "his deepest condolences," his spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Interfax news agency. "Tomorrow he will send a telegram of condolences to his family and friends." U.S. PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN

"Mikhail Gorbachev was a man of remarkable vision ... As the leader of the USSR, he worked with President Reagan to reduce our two countries' nuclear arsenals ... After decades of brutal political repression, he embraced democratic reforms. "The result was a safer world and greater freedom for millions of people."

U.N. SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTONIO GUTERRES "I was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Mikhail Gorbachev, a one-of-a-kind statesman who changed the course of history. He did more than any other individual to bring about the peaceful end of the Cold War.

"The world has lost a towering global leader, committed multilateralist, and tireless advocate for peace." GERMAN CHANCELLOR OLAF SCHOLZ

"We won't forget that the perestroika had made it possible for Russia to be able to try to undertake the establishment of a democracy, that democracy and freedom were possible in Europe, that Germany could be unified, that the Iron Curtain disappeared." "He died at a time when not only democracy in Russia has failed ... but also when Russia and Russian President Putin have dug new graves in Europe and began a terrible war against a neighbor, Ukraine."

FRENCH PRESIDENT EMMANUEL MACRON "My condolences for the death of Mikhail Gorbachev, a man of peace whose choices opened up a path of liberty for Russians. His commitment to peace in Europe changed our shared history".

EUROPEAN COMMISSION PRESIDENT URSULA VON DER LEYEN "Mikhail Gorbachev was a trusted and respected leader. He played a crucial role to end the Cold War and bring down the Iron Curtain. It opened the way for a free Europe ... This legacy is one we will not forget."

NATO SECRETARY GENERAL JENS STOLTENBERG "Mikhail Gorbachev’s historic reforms led to the dissolution of the Soviet Union, helped end the Cold War, and opened the possibility of a partnership between Russia and NATO. His vision of a better world remains an example."

EUROPEAN UNION FOREIGN POLICY CHIEF JOSEP BORRELL "Mikhail Gorbachev brought with glasnost and perestroika a wind of freedom to the Soviet block. He helped end the Cold War and fundamentally change global security, ushering in an era of mutually beneficial cooperation. An era that vanished and is urgently needed again."

THE REAGAN FOUNDATION AND INSTITUTE "The Reagan Foundation and Institute mourns the loss of former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, a man who once was a political adversary of Ronald Reagan’s who ended up becoming a friend. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Gorbachev family and the people of Russia."

FORMER U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE JAMES BAKER III "History will remember Mikhail Gorbachev as a giant who steered his great nation towards democracy. He played a critical role in the peaceful conclusion of the Cold War by his decision against using force to hold the empire together ... The free world misses him greatly."

FORMER U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE CONDOLEEZZA RICE "I am saddened to hear of the passing of Mikhail Gorbachev. He was a man who tried to deliver a better life for his people. His life was consequential because, without him and his courage, it would not have been possible to end the Cold War peacefully."

BRITISH PRIME MINISTER BORIS JOHNSON "I always admired the courage and 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."

ISRAELI PRESIDENT ISAAC HERZOG "Mikhail Gorbachev was one of the 20th century's most extraordinary figures. He was a brave and visionary leader, who shaped our world in ways previously thought unimaginable."

POLISH FOREIGN MINISTER ZBIGNIEW RAU "He increased the scope of freedom of the enslaved peoples of the Soviet Union in an unprecedented way, giving them hope for a more dignified life."

FORMER CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER BRIAN MULRONEY "He was a good friend, surprising as that might seem ... He was a very pleasant man to deal with and he had a great vision for the future of his country which is antithetical to that being articulated now. History will remember him as a great transformational leader."

JAPANESE PRIME MINISTER FUMIO KISHIDA "He has left behind great accomplishment as a world leader supporting the abolishment of nuclear weapons."

AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER ANTHONY ALBANESE "Mikhail Gorbachev was a man of warmth, hope, resolve and enormous courage, and in a world that was profoundly divided he was driven by an instinct for cooperation and unity."

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