The Hewitt Times

Against the biting winter cold, thousands of protesters clad in the Ukrainian flag crowd Ukraine’s Independence Square in capital city Kiev in opposition against President Viktor Yanukovych.  Many claim Yanukovych has taken away the country’s  chance at a brighter economic future through integration with the rest of Europe and departure from the grip that Russia continues to hold on Ukraine.

The European Union (EU) launched the Eastern Partnership Program four years ago, a foreign policy project designed to widen the trade area for partner countries by visa liberalization, support energy efficiency, and gradually elimination tariffs and trade quotas.  This initiative targets former Soviet republics such as Ukraine, Moldova, Armenia, and Georgia.  President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia pressured these ex-Soviet republics not to sign this agreement by imposing damaging sanctions on them, since all of these countries depend on Russia for trade.  In August 2013 , Russia stopped all Ukrainian imports at their border for increased inspection. Although this restriction was short lived, only lasting one week, Russia warned that it could become permanent if the Ukraine signs the agreement with the EU.

After promising for over a year to sign this partnership with the EU, President Yanukovych announced on November 21st that Ukraine would not be signing the agreement at the Eastern Partnership Summit in Vilnius, Lithuania from November 28-29; however, Georgia and Moldova have agreed to the partnership despite Russian sanctions. Ukraine apparently wanted to focus on improving economic ties with Russia instead of European integration. Much  anger was directed at Russia from European leaders for pressuring Ukraine while others criticized the Ukraine for submitting to Russia.

The Ukrainian people are furious with President Viktor Yanukovych’s decision

not to take part in the European trade agreement.

Ukrainians began protesting in Kiev against Yanukovych’s decision starting on November 24th. Having been faced with the brutality of riot police, Ukrainians magnified the level of the protests to a “revolution,” according to Yuri V. Lutsenko, the former minister of internal affairs in Ukraine.

Waving Ukraine’s yellow and blue flag against the riot police officers’ truncheons and tear gas, enraged Ukrainians call for the ouster of President Viktor Yanukovych. Parliamentary leaders are thinking about ways to lessen Yanukovych’s power without removing him from office entirely.

Protesters block streets, surround government buildings, and position their cars to obstruct traffic according to a map posted on Facebook. Protesters tore down and smashed a statue in Independence Square of Russian communist leader Vladimir Lenin in early December; this act symbolized their outrage towards Russia for its role in Yanukovych’s decision.

The police responded by beating protesters, staging power outages while they mobilized in Independence Square, and raiding the headquarters of the largest opposition party, called Fatherland, to the dismay of Western diplomats, including Vice President Joseph Biden.

Biden suggested that Yanukovych should open dialogue with opposition leaders. Instead, Yanukovych passed a law on January 21st that made it illegal to participate in a violent protest, restricting freedom of assembly and speech.

The repeal of these laws was passed in Parliament on January 28th, but the president needed to sign it in order for this repeal to go into effect; on January 30th, Yanukovych took a sick leave. Many do not believe that the president actually had a respiratory illness and high fever, as it was reported. It is thought that the president tried to buy time in the hope that the crisis would settle before his return to office.

Yanukovych has offered to make the opposition leader, Arseniy P. Yatsenyuk, Prime Minister after a no-confidence vote would cause former Prime Minister Mykola Azarov to lose his position; however, this vote was not needed as Azarov resigned right before the vote was to take place on January 28th. Yanukovych also offered to undo constitutional changes that he imposed that expanded his power. Even though Yanukovych’s concessions were a sign that he is not turning a blind eye to the protests, the opposition declined the offer.

Experts predicted that Ukraine would have to endure an economic collapse after Yanukovych turned away from  joining the EU. On December 17th, Russia agreed to give Ukraine $15 billion in loans and discounts on natural gas that Russia usually provides to the country; however, Russia announced on January 29^th that this financial package is suspended. Some have suggested that Putin has taken away the package to discourage Yanukoyvch from comprising with the opposition.

The United States and the European Union are trying to put together a financial aid package for Ukraine to help a transition government, if one is formed, to  make the necessary changes to qualify for a loan from the International Monetary Fund.

Former Ukraine President, Leonid M. Kravchuk warned at the end of January that Ukraine “is on the brink of civil war.” Some remained doubtful of this, for the riots were fairly quiet, until protesters set Independence Square ablaze.

On Tuesday, February 18th, upset Ukrainians threw rocks and fireworks at two vehicles for armored personnel who were trying to break through the stone barrier that protesters set up in Independence Square. The vehicles caught on fire and trapped several police officers inside them.  After the officers were rescued, anti-riot police known as Berkut advanced through the protesters’ barricades by using tear gas, which sent many running to the nearest hospital.

With a death toll of 25 people, that Tuesday became the deadliest day of the the political unrest so far.

In response to the bloodshed, the U.S. has imposed visa bans on 20 Ukrainian officials. European diplomats are also working on sanctions against senior figures in Ukraine’s government.

A young Ukrainian woman also responded to the ongoing bloodshed in her country in a passionate viral video calling for help from the West to aid the Ukrainian people in their cause. She explained, “I am on Maidan, the central part of my city. I want you to know why thousands of people all over my country are on the streets. There is only one reason. We want to be free from a dictatorship. We want to be free from the politicians who work only for themselves who are ready to shoot, to beat, to injure people.”

An accord reached on February 21st in Ukraine may have been just what she and other dissatisfied Ukrainians were looking for. As part of this revolutionary agreement, Parliament freed Yanukovych’s arch enemy, Yulia Tymoshenko, who was put up for trial in the Ukrainian courts for signing overpriced gas

contracts with Russia after running against Yanukovych in the 2010 presidential election. Additional provisions of the accord include a condition allowing anti-government protesters to be pardoned from punishment, and the government will provide financial assistance to the families of the wounded and the dead.

The real triumph came on February 22nd, when Yanukovych fled Kiev, claiming that he had been forced to do so because of a coup d’etat. Members of Parliament in Ukraine voted to oust Yanukovych after police stopped guarding presidential buildings, allowing protesters inside.  The Parliament of Ukraine has issued an arrest warrant for Yanukovych as he has been labeled a fugitive being sought for mass murder.

Opposition leader, Oleksandr Turchynov, is now acting as President of Ukraine. Official elections are scheduled to be held on May 25, 2014. In the meantime, the dark cloud currently looming over Ukraine is a potential economic disaster that could not be reversed without international help. Turchynov plans to move closer to the EU, which would result in massive restructuring that tightens Ukraine’s purse strings; nevertheless, the Ukrainian people are moving their country in the direction that they want.

UPDATES

February 28, 2014-President Vladimir Putin of Russia deployed Russian troops to the Ukrainian peninsula called Crimea. Putin moved troops into Ukraine at the request of ousted President Viktor Yanukovych and to protect Russians living in Ukraine.  The United States may move ahead with  sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Crimea. A Senior State Department official who traveled with Secretary of State, John Kerry on March 2nd to Ukraine said,” I think there will be movement on sanctions very likely later in this week.”

March 4, 2014- John Kerry announced $1 billion dollars in loans to make Ukraine’s economic transition easier.

March 6, 2014-Crimea approves a vote to secede from Ukraine and join the Russian Federation

March 16, 2014- The vote was held for Crimea’s annexation to Russia, and 93% of voters favored the secession from Ukraine.