Published on 17 May 2025 / Foundation
Tribute to Michael Ledeen
The Brazzaville Foundation and its Founding Chairman, Jean-Yves Ollivier, were deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Michael Ledeen on 17 May 2025. A historian, intellectual and foreign policy analyst, Michael Ledeen was a prominent figure in American diplomacy, particularly during the Cold War.
Michael Ledeen at the 21st Annual Hamptons International Film Festival in 2013. (Monica Schipper/Getty Images for The Hamptons International Film Festival).
Jean-Yves Ollivier forged a close friendship with Michael Ledeen in the early 1980s, at a time when Ledeen held senior positions within the U.S. government, notably as a member of the National Security Council. This relationship of trust, grounded in a shared vision of international dialogue, continued uninterrupted over the decades — as reflected in the honour Michael Ledeen bestowed upon the Brazzaville Foundation by joining its circle of its friends.
His deep understanding of global power dynamics, the breadth of his connections, and his personal commitment played a pivotal role in the conclusion of the Brazzaville Protocol in 1988, making a discreet yet significant contribution to this historic mediation.
The Brazzaville Foundation honours the memory of Michael Ledeen and extends its sincere condolences to his family, his loved ones, and to all those who had the privilege of knowing or working with him.
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