Russia’s Position on the World Stage in the Wake of Mikhail Gorbachev

On Tuesday, former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev died at the age of 91 in a hospital in Moscow. In 1990, Gorbachev won a Nobel Peace Prize for his part in ending the Cold War.

His passing comes at a pivotal moment in history, when Russia is seeking in so many ways to reassert its dominance, whether it be through Putin's invasion of Ukraine or his desire to reverse so many of the policies that were Gorbachev’s legacy. Across much of the West, Gorbachev was hailed as a forward thinking statesman who enacted meaningful, liberal reforms. But those reforms ultimately led to the end of the Soviet Union, leaving Gorbachev with a mixed legacy amongst his fellow Russians. Today the Guardian reported that current Russian president, Vladimir Putin will not attend Gorbachev’s funeral. 

We're joined by Masha Gessen, a Russian-American journalist, staff writer at The New Yorker, and author of “Surviving Autocracy” for more.