Leonid Kuchma facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Leonid Kuchma
|
|
|---|---|
|
Леонід Кучма
|
|
.jpg)
Kuchma in 2019
|
|
| 2nd President of Ukraine | |
| In office 19 July 1994 – 23 January 2005 |
|
| Prime Minister | Vitaliy Masol Yevhen Marchuk Pavlo Lazarenko Valeriy Pustovoitenko Viktor Yushchenko Anatoliy Kinakh Viktor Yanukovych |
| Preceded by | Leonid Kravchuk |
| Succeeded by | Viktor Yushchenko |
| 2nd Prime Minister of Ukraine | |
| In office 13 October 1992 – 22 September 1993 |
|
| President | Leonid Kravchuk |
| Deputy | Ihor Yukhnovskyi Yukhym Zvyahilsky |
| Preceded by | Valentyn Symonenko (acting) |
| Succeeded by | Yukhym Zvyahilsky (acting) |
| Representative of Ukraine in the Trilateral Contact Group on Ukraine | |
| In office 3 June 2019 – 28 July 2020 |
|
| President | Volodymyr Zelenskyy |
| General Director of Yuzhmash | |
| In office November 1986 – 13 October 1992 |
|
| Preceded by | Oleksandr Makarov |
| Succeeded by | Yuriy Alekseyev |
| People's Deputy of Ukraine | |
| In office 15 May 1990 – 15 July 1994 |
|
| Constituency |
|
| Personal details | |
| Born | 9 August 1938 Chaikyne, Chernihiv Oblast, Soviet Union |
| Political party | Independent (1991–present) |
| Other political affiliations |
Communist Party of the Soviet Union (1960–1991) |
| Spouse | |
| Children | Olena Pinchuk |
| Alma mater | Dnipropetrovsk National University |
| Signature |  |
Leonid Danylovych Kuchma (Ukrainian: Леонід Данилович Кучма; born 9 August 1938) is a Ukrainian politician. He served as the second President of Ukraine from 1994 to 2005. He is the only Ukrainian president to serve two full terms.
Before becoming president, Kuchma had a successful career in the machine-building industry. He started his political journey in 1990 when he was elected to the Verkhovna Rada (Ukraine's parliament). He also served as Prime Minister of Ukraine from October 1992 to September 1993. Kuchma became president after winning the 1994 election against Leonid Kravchuk. He was re-elected for a second five-year term in 1999.
During his time as president, Ukraine's economy saw some growth after 2000. Relations between Ukraine and Russia also improved. After his presidency, Kuchma continued to be involved in important discussions about peace in Ukraine.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Leonid Kuchma was born on 9 August 1938, in the village of Chaikyne in Ukraine. His father, Danylo Kuchma, was injured in World War II and passed away when Leonid was four years old. His mother, Paraska Kuchma, worked on a collective farm.
Kuchma went to school in Kostobobriv. He later studied at Dnipropetrovsk National University. In 1960, he graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering, specializing in aerospace engineering. He also joined the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in 1960. In 1967, Kuchma married Lyudmyla Talalayeva.
Career Before Presidency
After finishing university, Kuchma worked in aerospace engineering at the Yuzhnoye Design Bureau in Dnipropetrovsk. When he was 28, he became a testing director for the Bureau at the Baikonur cosmodrome.
At 38, Kuchma became the Communist Party leader at the Yuzhny Machine-building Plant. He was also a member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party (Bolshevik) of Ukraine. By the late 1980s, Kuchma openly shared his concerns about the Communist Party.
In 1982, Kuchma was appointed as the first deputy general design engineer at Yuzhmash. From 1986 to 1992, he was the company's general director. From 1990 to 1992, Kuchma was a member of the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament. In 1992, he became Prime Minister of Ukraine. He resigned a year later, wanting faster reforms. He was re-elected to parliament in 1994.
President of Ukraine (1994–2005)
Kuchma resigned as Prime Minister in September 1993 to run for president in 1994. He promised to improve the economy by strengthening ties with Russia and speeding up market reforms. Kuchma won the election against the sitting president, Leonid Kravchuk. He received strong support from the industrial regions in eastern and southern Ukraine.
He was re-elected for his second term in 1999. The regions that supported him strongly in 1994 voted for his opponents this time. However, other areas that had voted against him in 1994 came to his support.
During his presidency, there were concerns about media freedom. Kuchma's administration faced criticism regarding restrictions on the press.
-
Results in the Second round of the 1994 presidential election: Blue – Leonid Kuchma, orange – Leonid Kravchuk
-
Results in the Second round of the 1999 presidential election: Blue – Leonid Kuchma, red – Petro Symonenko
Domestic Policies and Reforms
In October 1994, Kuchma announced big economic changes. These included reducing government support, removing price controls, lowering taxes, and selling state-owned industries and farms to private owners. The parliament approved these main ideas. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) offered a large loan to help start these reforms.
Kuchma's Prime Minister from 2002 until early 2005 was Viktor Yanukovych.
Foreign Relations
In 2002, Kuchma said Ukraine wanted to sign a special agreement with the European Union by 2003–2004. He hoped Ukraine would meet all EU membership rules by 2007–2011. He also wanted a free trade agreement with the EU.
Kuchma signed a "Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation, and Partnership" with Russia. He also supported talks with the CIS. He signed a special partnership agreement with NATO and considered Ukraine joining the alliance. Under Kuchma, the Ukrainian Armed Forces took part in the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
After his popularity faced challenges, Kuchma focused on a "multi-vector" foreign policy. This meant reaching out to Russia, Europe, and the United States.
On 4 October 2001, Siberia Airlines Flight 1812 was accidentally shot down over the Black Sea by the Ukrainian Air Force. All 78 people on board died. Kuchma apologized to Russia and Israel and accepted the resignation of his Minister of Defence.
2004 Presidential Election and Orange Revolution
Kuchma's role in the 2004 Ukrainian presidential election and the Orange Revolution that followed is complex. After the second round of voting on 22 November 2004, there were disputes over the election results. This led to large public protests known as the Orange Revolution.
Kuchma was asked by some to declare a state of emergency. He refused this request. He also did not officially dismiss Prime Minister Yanukovych after parliament voted against his government. Kuchma later left the country for a short time, returning in March 2005.
In 2009, Kuchma stated he would vote for Viktor Yanukovych in the 2010 Ukrainian presidential election. However, in a private conversation, he described the choice between the main candidates as "bad and very bad."
After the Presidency
Leonid Kuchma has remained active in politics since his presidency ended. He supported President Viktor Yushchenko in 2005. Later, he endorsed Viktor Yanukovych for president in 2010.
Involvement in Ukraine's Conflicts
On 21 June 2014, Kuchma represented Ukraine in talks with armed groups in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. These talks were about President Petro Poroshenko's peace plan. His role as a diplomat was seen positively by many.
On 11 February 2015, Kuchma was one of the people who signed a plan to end the conflict in Donbas. This meeting was called Minsk II. The plan aimed for a ceasefire.
In March 2015, Kuchma asked for more help from Western countries in the region. He criticized the actions of Russian-backed forces. In September 2015, Kuchma was again appointed as Ukraine's representative in the Trilateral Contact Group on Ukraine. This group met in Belarus to discuss ending the conflict in Donbas.
On 2 October 2018, Kuchma stepped down from the Trilateral Contact Group due to his age. He returned to the talks in June 2019 at the request of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He left the post again in July 2020, saying he was tired. Leonid Kravchuk replaced him.
Russian Invasion of Ukraine
When Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, Kuchma said he would stay in Ukraine to help defend the country. He stated, "We will defend it together until the very victory – without division... United we stand around the Flag, the Army, and the President. Ukraine is not Russia. And it will never become Russia."
In November 2023, Kuchma presented his new book, Ukraine is Not Russia: Twenty Years Later.
Family and Personal Life
Kuchma has been married to Lyudmyla Talalayeva since 1967. Lyudmyla Kuchma is the Honorary President of a fund that helps mothers and children. She also supports the paralympic movement in Ukraine.
Kuchma's only child, his daughter Olena Pinchuk, is married to Viktor Pinchuk. He is a businessman and a philanthropist. His Victor Pinchuk Foundation often hosts events at the annual World Economic Forum in Davos.
In his younger years, Kuchma enjoyed playing the guitar. He was also known for his skill at the card game preferans.
In 2003, he published his book, Ukraine is Not Russia.
After retiring, Kuchma was allowed to keep a state-owned home in Koncha-Zaspa for his personal use. He was also allowed to keep his full presidential salary and staff, along with two state-owned vehicles.
Legacy and Impact
Leonid Kuchma's time as President of Ukraine is seen differently by various people. He is often described as having a strong leadership style. His economic changes and actions regarding independent media have continued to affect Ukraine.
Some critics say that Kuchma's economic reforms helped create powerful business leaders, known as Ukrainian oligarchs. Many of these oligarchs became involved in politics during his presidency.
Kuchma's political influence has also been significant. Many politicians who came after him, except for Volodymyr Zelenskyy, started their careers with Kuchma's support.
Awards and Honors
.svg)
Kuchma received the Azerbaijani Istiglal Order in 1999. This was for his work in strengthening relations and cooperation between Azerbaijan and Ukraine.
- Ukrainian Honors
- Order of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) of St. Ilya of Murom, 1st class (2004)
- Honorary Citizen of the Donetsk Oblast (2002)
- Foreign Honors
- Knight Grand Cross with Grand Cordon of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (1995)
- Knight Collar of the Order of Civil Merit (1996)
- Order of Merit for the Fatherland, 1st class (Russia, 2004) – for strengthening friendship and cooperation between Russia and Ukraine
- Grand Cross of the Order of Vytautas the Great (Lithuania, 1996)
- Grand Cross of the Order of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas (Lithuania, 1998)
- Order of the Golden Eagle (Kazakhstan, 1999)
- Grand Cross with Chain of the Order of the Star of Romania (Romania, 2000)
- Order of the Republic (Moldova, 2003)
- Order Laila Utama Dardzha Kerabat, 1st class (Brunei, 2004)
- Chain of the Order of Prince Henry (Portugal, 1998)
- Order of the "Star of Bethlehem" (State of Palestine, 2000)
See also
In Spanish: Leonid Kuchma para niños
