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Ukrainians carry an EU flag during their mass protest in Kiev, yesterday. About 100,000 people gathered in Kiev to protest against the government.
BRUSSELS/KIEV: The European Union expressed strong disapproval yesterday of Russian pressure on Ukraine to reject an EU trade deal, while police fired tear gas at pro-Europe protesters in the former Soviet republic, torn once more between East and West.
Ukraine had been expected to sign a far-reaching trade and political association agreement with the EU at a summit in Vilnius on Friday, the biggest prize in Brussels’ efforts to draw states in the former Communist East closer to the EU fold.
But it suddenly announced last week it had decided instead to seek closer trade relations with Moscow.
The decision followed months of Russian pressure, including threats to cut off Ukraine’s gas supplies and impose trade restrictions. Moscow has accused the European Union of putting the squeeze on Kiev, too.
Protests have since broken out on the streets of Kiev, with tens of thousands of people demonstrating in favour of closer ties with the European Union, the biggest outpouring since its pro-democracy Orange Revolution nine years ago.
In unusually firm language on Monday, the EU’s two most senior officials, European Council President Herman Van Rompuy and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, denounced Russia’s actions and said the EU offer remained on the table.
“The European Union will not force Ukraine, or any other partner, to choose between the European Union or any other regional entity,” they said in a joint statement.
“We therefore strongly disapprove of the Russian position and actions in this respect.”
There were further, smaller protests yesterday in Kiev, with Ukrainian police clashing with demonstrators and, in a brief incident, firing teargas to try to control a group of protesters.
Some saw the protest as part of a wider struggle in a country that houses both native Ukrainian and Russian speakers and which many Russians see as culturally part of their nation.
“I have turned out for revolution because I have understood that the promises of Yanukovich to go into Europe were just pure comedy,” said Anatoly Gurkalyuk, 33, a builder.
At the end of last week, the EU appeared minded to quietly accept Ukraine’s decision to back away from the trade deal. But the protests — with their hallmarks of Ukraine’s ‘orange’ democracy drive of 2004-2005 — look to have spurred the EU into a renewed effort to court Ukraine.
“The offer of signing an unprecedented association agreement and a deep and comprehensive free trade agreement is still on the table,” the joint EU statement read.
“It is up to Ukraine to freely decide what kind of engagement they seek with the European Union. Ukrainian citizens have shown again these last days that they fully understand and embrace the historic nature of the European association.”
While it seems unlikely Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich will have another change of mind between now and the Vilnius summit, he might still attend the event, which includes a dinner with EU leaders on Thursday night.
EU officials said the occasion might be an opportunity for German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Britain’s Prime Minister David Cameron and French President Francois Hollande, to convince him Yanukovich of the benefits of looking West, even if he doesn’t budge now. But Yanukovich has barely spoken publicly since the announcement to withdraw from the EU deal, and may not pitch up in Vilnius.
It remains unclear what Russian President Vladimir Putin said to Yanukovich to convince him to turn away from the EU.
But diplomatic sources in Moscow, Kiev and Brussels have indicated it probably involved a combination of threats to withdraw political support, targeted economic pressure and the inducement of cheaper Russian gas.
Russia set up its own customs union with Belarus and Kazakhstan in 2010 and wants Ukraine, as well as other former Soviet republics, to join it. Ultimately, it sees the customs union as an alternative to the 28-member European Union.
Yanukovich’s prime minister reproached the EU for pressing Ukraine to fulfil reform criteria, including releasing jailed opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko. Mykola Azarov said the IMF’s refusal to soften its terms for fresh financial assistance had been ‘the last straw’.
“We did all we could for Ukraine to be able to go, prepared, to the Vilnius summit. The European Union all the time was putting conditions,” Azarov told Russia’s First Channel TV on Sunday evening.
Reuters
