World leaders mourn Jimmy Carter, celebrate ‘noble’ legacy

(LONDON) — World leaders have offered their condolences after the death of former President Jimmy Carter at the age of 100.

Carter died in Plains, Georgia, on Sunday afternoon, the Carter Center wrote in a post to X. President Joe Biden led the tributes, saying that “America and the world lost an extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian.”

Leaders abroad were quick to offer their own tributes.

In Canada, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Carter’s legacy “is one of compassion, kindness, empathy and hard work. He served others both at home and around the world his entire life — and he loved doing it. He was always thoughtful and generous with his advice to me.”

“My deepest condolences to the Carter family, his many loved ones and the American people who are mourning a former president and a lifelong humanitarian,” Trudeau added. “May his selfless service continue to inspire us all for years to come.”

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said in a post to X that, above all, Carter “was a lover of democracy and a defender of peace.”

Lula recalled Carter’s pressure on the military dictatorship in Brazil in the 1970s to release political prisoners. “Later, as a former president, he continued to campaign for the promotion of human rights, peace and the eradication of diseases in Africa and Latin America,” the president added.

“Carter achieved the feat of having a job as a former president, over the decades, that was as important or even more important than his term in the White House,” Lula wrote.

A slew of tributes also came from leaders in Europe. Several alluded to one of Carter’s landmark foreign policy achievements in brokering the Camp David Accords in 1978, which led to the Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty the following year.

“Throughout his life, Jimmy Carter has been a steadfast advocate for the rights of the most vulnerable and has tirelessly fought for peace,” French President Emmanuel Macron said. “France sends its heartfelt thoughts to his family and to the American people.”

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he was “very sorry to hear of President Carter’s passing. I pay tribute to his decades of selfless public service. My thoughts are with his family and friends at this time.”

King Charles III expressed “great sadness” at the news. “His dedication and humility served as an inspiration to many, and I remember with great fondness his visit to the United Kingdom in 1977.”

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz wrote, “We join our American friends in mourning the loss of their former President Jimmy Carter. The U.S. has lost a committed fighter for democracy. The world has lost a great mediator for peace in the Middle East and for human rights.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted Carter’s continued advocacy for democracy and human rights even towards the end of his life.

“He was a leader who served during a time when Ukraine was not yet independent, yet his heart stood firmly with us in our ongoing fight for freedom,” Zelenskyy wrote.

“We deeply appreciate his steadfast commitment to Christian faith and democratic values, as well as his unwavering support for Ukraine in the face of Russia’s unprovoked aggression,” he added.

“He devoted his life to promoting peace in the world and defending human rights. Today, let us remember: peace matters, and the world must remain united in standing against those who threaten these values.”

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Carter “served his country with honor — and humanity, with compassion. His work advanced peace, health and democracy worldwide.”

“He will be remembered for his moral leadership,” she added. “May his noble legacy live on.”