Former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger dies – Meduza

A statement from the consulting company Kissinger Associates, quoted by Reuters, said that a public memorial service will be held in New York, and only a small circle of the politician’s family and friends will attend the funeral itself.

Henry Kissinger was born on May 27, 1923 into a Jewish family in Germany. In 1938, to escape persecution, the family moved to the United States. Kissinger’s political career began in the 1960s.

Kissinger served as National Security Advisor to the President of the United States from 1969–1975 and as Secretary of State from 1973–1977. He was a supporter «realpolitik». Kissinger played a significant role in bringing the United States and China closer and establishing relations with the USSR. In particular, his efforts led to US-Soviet arms control negotiations.

The diplomat participated in resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and helped expand ties between Israel and Arab countries, and in 1973 signed the Paris Peace Agreement to end the Vietnam War. For his role in reaching the agreement, Kissinger was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize; the diplomat’s victory in this nomination is considered one of the most controversial in history.

After leaving government service, the diplomat founded the consulting firm Kissinger Associates and remained an active participant in political processes until his last days. Among other things, Kissinger has repeatedly spoken out about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Thus, in May 2022, he called on Kyiv to make territorial concessions and begin peace negotiations with Moscow. A few months later the diplomat spoke for refusing such concessions during possible negotiations and supported Ukraine’s entry into NATO.