Former French President Jacques Chirac, who led France from 1995 to 2007, died Thursday at age 86.
Chirac’s political career spanned decades and he had dealings with every Russian and Soviet leader since Brezhnev.
In a message of condolence Thursday, President Vladimir Putin said that he admired Chirac’s “intellect and deep knowledge as well as his knack of making balanced decisions even in the most difficult situations.”
Here’s a look at Chirac pictured with Russia’s leaders over the years:
