Politicians – about Kravchuk: “Leonid Makarovich left with faith in our victory”

Ukrainians are in a hurry to express their sympathy and grief over the death of the first president of Ukraine, Leonid Kravchuk. He is remembered on a high note as the first leader of independent Ukraine, a wise leader, even if he did not avoid mistakes, and they recognize that what Ukraine is now is the merit of him, Leonid Makarovich Kravchuk.

– Leonid Makarovich knew what freedom is worth. And with all my heart I wanted peace for Ukraine. I'm sure we will implement it. We will achieve our victory and our peace,” President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said in an evening address on May 10. Zelensky called Kravchuk not just a politician or a historical figure, but a man who knew how to find wise words and say them so that all Ukrainians could hear.

Fifth President of Ukraine Peter Poroshenkoin a message on his page on social networks, he noted that “history does not know the conditional mood, but there are exceptions to this rule. The conscious transition of Leonid Kravchuk to statesmanship played an important role in the declaration of independence. He used his power to achieve this great goal. And then he figured out how to bury the Soviet Union in Belovezhskaya Pushcha.”

Poroshenko stressed that no one knew what a fierce struggle awaited Ukrainians in order to protect “their right to be Ukrainians.”

“There is not the slightest doubt that Leonid Makarovich left with faith in our victory. Just as there is no doubt that we will win and further strengthen our Ukraine,” the ex-head of state summed up.

Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak noted that he was personally acquainted with Leonid Kravchuk, which he is really proud of. “Leonid Makarovich was a wise patriot of Ukraine, a truly historical figure in the achievement of our Independence,” Yermak added.

Former Prime Minister and Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada Vladimir Groysmanquoted Leonid Kravchuk: “Russia has been at war for 150 years of its history, and any decision is perceived not through the implementation of international norms or rules of conduct defined in the civilized world, but acts according to the scheme – force should be more important. And this is especially evident in the example of Ukraine since the creation of an independent state. Therefore, we must be ready for any scenarios.”

“Blessed memory,” Volodymyr Groysman stated with sadness.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko was a little over wordy. He thanked Leonid Kravchuk for “love for Ukraine, for your wisdom and courage.”

“He said that three things make a person a leader: talent, strong character and knowledge. All this was characteristic of Leonid Makarovich, who entered the history of our sovereign state as its first legally elected leader. Stormy times for our country, difficult and historic decisions, the formation of Ukrainian independence fell to his lot. We are fighting for our independence and freedom even today. In a terrible war against a Russian invader who wants to restore the empire. But we will retain the sovereignty and will that we achieved over 30 years ago. We will not retreat and we will win!”

People's Deputy of Ukraine, ex-Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada Dmytro Razumkov said that the death of Leonid Kravchuk is a great loss for all of Ukraine.

“The contribution of Leonid Kravchuk to the formation of our state can hardly be overestimated. It was during his leadership that the Parliament adopted the Act of Declaration of Independence of Ukraine. It was Leonid Makarovich who was not afraid and was the first to take control of a large country in the difficult times of the early 90s. his life was filled with various significant events and decisions. But he remained faithful to his country to the last and strove to make our life better with his experience and knowledge. And he succeeded,” Razumkov said.

Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Ruslan Stefanchuk said that the news of the death of Leonid Kravchuk is terrible news. “There are not enough words to describe the severity of this loss,” Stefanchuk complained.

He recalled that at the beginning of his acquaintance with the first president of Ukraine, he was preparing a book on Ukrainian statehood with him. “And then we worked together to defend this statehood at the parliamentary level. He was a man of high intelligence, endurance, vitality. He compared life with a field and believed that living with dignity means uprooting weeds every day so that flowers grow. On the Ukrainian field, he sowed Independence…” – said the head of the Verkhovna Rada.

Former Deputy Head of the Central Election Commission of Ukraine Andriy Magera emphasized that, “despite his communist past as an ideologue of the Communist Party of Ukraine, despite many mistakes in 1992-1994 and after his presidency, Leonid Makarovich will forever remain in the history of Ukraine as the First President… We all need to be grateful to Leonid Kravchuk for masterful winding in the subject of signing a new union treaty imposed by Moscow, for the collapse of the Soviet Union, for signing the Belovezhskaya Accords.

Andriy Mahera is sure that Leonid Kravchuk should be in the pantheon of great statesmen of Ukraine along with Mykhailo Hrushevsky, Symon Petliura, Vyacheslav Chornovil and others.

“…He did not hold on to office and laid the foundations of our democracy. He was wrong a lot. He had something to criticize for, but not today. Today I want to thank the Ukrainian Leonid Makarovich Kravchuk,” wrote People’s Deputy of Ukraine Nikolai Knyazhitsky.

“Whoever says anything about him now, but the restoration of the Independence of Ukraine and the proclamation of the Act of Independence is the main thing of his turbulent and difficult life,” said the ex-People's Deputy of Ukraine Oleg Lyashko.

And now the current people's choice < strong>Yulia Tymoshenko recalled that Leonid Kravchuk became president at a very difficult time.

“It was not known where to go, what to undertake and how to build a young state. This is not taught in any university. To his great credit, he went his way with dignity. In many ways, Ukraine received its formation and recognition precisely because of his position, his policy, his statesmanship. In fact, until his last days, despite his venerable age and illness, Leonid Makarovich continued to work for Ukraine, supported the country with all his big heart,” Tymoshenko emphasized.

Aleksey Arestovich, non-staff adviser to the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak on strategic communications in the field of national security and defense, added that everyone has the right to their own assessment of Kravchuk as a historical and political figure.

“For me, he will remain a person with whom I worked for a year. And all this year he fought for the interests of Ukraine, not sparing himself. In this struggle, he was always seen as the first president of Ukraine, who led us to Independence. Blessed memory, Leonid Makarovich,” Arestovich wrote.

The ex-head of Ukrzaliznytsia, Wojciech Balchun, also noted that he had the honor of being acquainted with Leonid Kravchuk. “He always showed concern for UZ and supported our reforms, even if some of them differed significantly from Ukrainian standards,” Balchun recalled.

People's Deputy of Ukraine, head of the Servant of the People party Elena Shulyak also added that Kravchuk was the first person in the post-Soviet space to transfer power democratically. “He was wise and thoughtful. We guard, protect, defend the country that the glorious generation of 1991 won for us. And we will always do so. Life is arranged in such a way that people leave – even the best ones. But the country and the state remain: we, our children and our grandchildren.”

But the former Prosecutor General of Ukraine Yuriy Lutsenko honestly admitted: “Leonid Makarovich Kravchuk very often disappointed me. But all the opportunistic mistakes of the Sly Fox recede into the background before the merits of the First President, who, between the drops of external and internal challenges, had the courage to destroy the evil empire and proclaim the Independence of Ukraine. For this I sincerely respect “…