Who is popular today?

The West should be “very grateful” to Soviet-era leader Mikhail Gorbachev, former prime minister Tony Abbott says.

“Because he did effectively reform communism out of existence – at least in the old Soviet Union,” Mr Abbott told Sky News Australia host Rowan Dean.

“And for that, the whole world should be immensely grateful.”

Russian news agencies reported late on Tuesday that Gorbachev died aged 91, after a long and serious illness.

Gorbachev was the last leader of the Soviet Union and played a pivotal role in ending the Cold War, which ultimately earned him a Nobel Peace Prize.

Mr Abbott said Gorbachev started out as a kind of “closet liberal … a liberal communist”.

“He then evolved into a kind of social democrat by the time he left office in 1991.

“But along the way he did begin the process of dismantling communism and very importantly he began a process which resulted in the countries of Eastern Europe becoming free and independent.”

Mr Abbott added there have been “lasting benefits” from the Gorbachev era.

“So, while we have to lament the rise of a new authoritarianism in Russia under the dictate of Putin, by the same token there have been lasting benefits from the Gorbachev era”.