The communist propagandist who became Ukraine's first president and signed the Soviet Union out of existence
It was a long road we walked to Belavezha. It was not by accident; it was our deliberate choice because we had no other option.
A party man who spent three decades climbing the propaganda and ideology apparatus of the Ukrainian Communist Party, Kravchuk pivoted to 'national communism' after becoming chairman of the Supreme Soviet in 1990. At the Novo-Ogaryovo negotiations he insisted on a confederation, not a federation, and delayed the signing of the new Union Treaty until September; after the August 1991 coup collapsed, he presided over Ukraine's Declaration of Independence on 24 August. Elected Ukraine's first president on 1 December 1991, he signed the Belavezha Accords with Yeltsin and Shushkevich a week later, formally ending the Soviet Union. His presidency saw the surrender of Ukraine's nuclear arsenal and a deep economic slump, but he stepped down after a peaceful electoral defeat and remained active in politics as a deputy.
Career Timeline
- 1958–70From political-economy teacher to head of agitation and propaganda, Chernivtsi region
- 1970–80Rose through CC CPU agitation and propaganda department
- 1980–88Head of CC CPU agitation and propaganda department
- 1988–89Head of CC CPU ideology department
- 1989–90.6CC CPU secretary, Politburo member, second secretary
- 1990.7–1991.8Chairman of Supreme Soviet of Ukraine; presided over independence declaration
- 1991.12–1994.7First President of Ukraine; signed Belavezha Accords; lost to Kuchma
- 1994–2006People's Deputy, parliamentary leader of SDPU(o)
Related historical events
- 1988–1991The Nationalities Crisis and the Collapse of Central AuthorityAdded a second question for UkraineAlongside the Union question he added a second: should Ukraine join a Union of Soviet sovereign states based on its sovereignty declaration? 80.2% voted yes, endorsing both the Union and Ukrainian sovereignty the same day.
- 1991The Novo-Ogaryovo Process and the New Union TreatyUkraine representativeAs Ukrainian Supreme Soviet chairman, told the State Council on 11 October Ukraine would not join treaty talks before its 1 December referendum; on 8 November called the Novo-Ogaryovo process 'pluperfect'. One of the three Belovezha signatories.
- 1991The August Coup and the Collapse of the USSRUkrainian president who signed the USSR out of existence at BelovezhFresh from Ukraine's 92% independence vote, he signed the accords at Belovezh. He refused Gorbachev's new union, making dissolution inevitable.