In a telegram of congratulations Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev sent to Kravchuk soon after the referendum, Gorbachev included his hopes for close Ukrainian cooperation and understanding in "the formation of a union of sovereign states".
Following the referendum, Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev sent a congratulatory telegram to Kravchuk expressing his desire for strong collaboration and mutual respect as they worked together to establish a union of independent nations.