Margarita Sichkar's Recollections
Ukrainian restaurateur and author Margarita Sichkar has shared details about being courted by Valeriy Pustovoytenko, who served as Ukraine's Prime Minister from 1997 to 1999. According to her, Pustovoytenko sent her flowers and invited her on dates at the Cabinet of Ministers building, but no romantic relationship ever developed between them.
Sichkar opened up about these encounters during an interview with Dmytro Gordon, recounting their meetings. She said she received flowers from the prime minister, noting:
“They brought flowers to my restaurant from the prime minister. The first bouquet. I just sat there thinking: Cool.”Reflecting on what followed, she recalled that Pustovoytenko invited her to his office at the Cabinet of Ministers, where a table had been set for her.
Sichkar stated: “I drive over, security meets me. He, of course, started making advances. I told him: Valeriy Pavlovych, I'm already involved with a footballer.” When the prime minister pressed for details about who she was seeing, she replied that it was Vladyslav Vashchuk, former captain of Kyiv Dynamo and the Ukrainian national football team. Pustovoytenko then remarked:
“Well, he's a good footballer.”
Encounters with Putin
Additionally, Sichkar mentioned that Pustovoytenko also invited her—along with Vladimir Putin, who was then Prime Minister of the Russian Federation—to a football match in Moscow. However, she declined due to her busy schedule. In 1998, Sichkar met with both Pustovoytenko and Putin, and even prepared dinner for the Russian politician at her restaurant 'Hetman' on Arbat Street in Moscow.
Through these accounts, Margarita Sichkar has shared unusual memories of episodes from her life intertwined with Ukrainian politics, emphasizing that no romantic relationship existed between her and Pustovoytenko.
Her recollections of interactions with Valeriy Pustovoytenko highlight a particular cultural and social backdrop in which politicians and business figures operated in Ukraine during the 1990s. These stories illustrate how personal connections can intersect with political activities, underscoring the role of informal networks in society. At the same time, such narratives spark curiosity about the personalities who helped shape the country's political landscape in that era.
In addition to her encounters with Valeriy Pustovoytenko, Sichkar also had notable interactions with Vladimir Putin during the same period. Her experiences provide a fascinating glimpse into the intersection of her culinary career and high-profile politics. To learn more about her meeting with Putin in 1998, read her reflections here.