Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has appointed Verkhovna Rada deputy Leonid Kozhara (the Party of Regions faction) as Ukraine's foreign minister.

The decree was published on the presidential Web site on Monday.

Earlier, Yanukovych dismissed Foreign Minister Kostiantyn Hryschenko.

Kozhara was born in Poltava on January 14, 1963. He has a higher education. In 1985, he graduated from Kyiv Taras Shevchenko National University, specializing as an international lawyer and English language translator assistant.

In 1990-1992, he served as a senior advisor at the secretariat of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (in the commission on state sovereignty, international and inter-republic relations).

In 1992-1994, he occupied various posts in the service on international affairs in the administration of Ukrainian President Leonid Kravchuk.

In 1994-1997, Kozhara worked as first secretary of the political section of the Ukrainian Embassy in the United States.

After returning from a diplomatic mission, he worked until 2003 in the administration of President Leonid Kuchma, holding the posts of deputy head and head of the department, as well as deputy head of the main department on foreign affairs.

In 2003-2004, Kozhara served as Ukraine's ambassador to Sweden.

In 2004-2005, he worked as deputy head of the administration of President Leonid Kuchma. He also headed the main department on foreign affairs.

In 2006-2007, he served as an MP of the fifth convocation from the Party of Regions (No. 139 in the electoral list). He also worked as secretary of the Verkhovna Rada committee on foreign affairs.

Since November 2007, he has been an MP of the sixth convocation from the Party of Regions (No. 163 in the list). He also served as deputy head of the committee on foreign affairs.

Kozhara is a deputy leader of the Party of Regions in charge of issues of international policy.