Arnold Ruutel, the former president of Estonia and widely regarded as one of the key figures in the country’s restoration of independence in 1991, has passed away at the age of 96, according to the president’s office.
Ruutel was a member of the Communist Party in the late 1980s, during the collapse of the Soviet Union, before emerging as a central figure in Estonia’s struggle to regain its independence after five decades of Soviet control.
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Serving as Estonia’s president from 2001 to 2006, Ruutel played a significant role in the nation’s accession to the European Union and NATO in 2004.
“He was one of the leaders of our independence,” said a statement from the office of the Baltic country’s presidency.
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