Pictured here in 2012, Gorbachev was seen as a man of peace in the West for contributing to the end of the Cold War.  Photo: Shutterstock

Pictured here in 2012, Gorbachev was seen as a man of peace in the West for contributing to the end of the Cold War.  Photo: Shutterstock

The USSR’s final leader passed away after a severe and prolonged illness on 30 August at the age of 91.

"Mikhail Gorbachev passed away tonight after a serious and protracted disease," Russia's Central Clinical Hospital said in a statement.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1985 to 1991, Gorbachev had briefly been the president of the Soviet Union between March 1990 and December 1991, witnessing the dissolution of the USSR. In 1990, Gorbachev was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his contribution to ending the Cold War.

His internal reforms and refusal to intervene when Eastern European countries challenged their communist leaders, as well as his partnerships with Western powers to bring down the Iron Curtain earned him the sympathy of Western leaders, but later also led to him being ostracised from Russian politics.

Six months after the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Gorbachev had not publicly commented on the war started by Vladimir Putin. But reports suggest that in an interview with Russian Forbes, journalist Alexei Venediktov the former president had said he was “upset” at the course of action and that he felt his political  reforms had all been destroyed.

Political leaders acknowledge legacy

Many world leaders have expressed their condolences following the news of Gorbachev’s passing.

“"A politician who brought down the East-West divide with conviction. A great Russian statesman with whom the world would have been spared this barbaric war in Ukraine,” Luxembourg foreign affairs minister Jean Asselborn (LSAP) commented upon a request by Delano. 

“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,” stated UN secretary general Antonio Guterres.

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen also commented on the news, stating that “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.”

US president Joe Biden called Gorbachev “a man of remarkable vision”, while outgoing UK prime minister Boris Johnson stated: "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."

Delano has reached out to Luxembourg officials for comment.

This article was edited to include a comment by minister Jean Asselborn.