Carl Bildt, former prime minister and foreign minister, is one of those who express their sadness. On Twitter he writes like this about Mikhail Gorbachev:
“He gave the Russians hope for freedom and a better future, and gave the world a chance for coexistence and peace. But all that has now been crushed.”
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson expresses on Twitter that Gorbachev was an example in a time when Putin invaded Ukraine.
“Played a decisive role”
According to Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, Gorbachev was a trusted and respected leader.
“He played a decisive role in ending the Cold War and tearing down the Iron Curtain. It paved the way for a free Europe. It is a legacy we will not forget. Rest in peace, Michael Gorbachev,” she signs Twitter.
“He made a difference”
Condoleezza Rice, who was US Secretary of State between 2005 and 2009, writes as follows Twitter:
“He was a man who tried to give his people a better life. He made a difference because without his courage we would not have had a peaceful end to the Cold War”.