“New Developments in Ukraine”
By Matt Willis
On Saturday, February 22nd, protests in Kiev, the capital of Ukraine, calmed down after President Viktor Yanukovich was removed from office. The parliament has decided to hold early elections for the nation’s new leader, thus putting an end to around three months of violence in the capital city.
Protests flared after the government under Yanukovych declined a trade agreement that would promote strong ties with the European Union. While many citizens are in support of a Ukrainian partnership with the Union, their administration has been more interested in stronger ties with the Russian Federation. Their president, Vladimir Putin, has been largely supportive of Yanukovych, and even went so far as to sign a deal that would reduce the price of Russian natural gas in Ukraine. Putin actively spoke out against protesters, accusing them of trying to usurp power in the nation.
On January 28th, following the deaths of several activists in Kiev, Prime Minister Mykola Azarov announced his resignation from office. The parliament subsequently repealed a set of harsh laws aimed at eliminating protests, which had only caused further outbreaks of violence in the city. A month later, opposition leaders agreed to a truce with the government in
exchange for over two hundred imprisoned protesters. The uneasy peace lasted mere hours until they once again clashed with police.
On February 22nd, other European nations had begun to intervene. The Ukrainian government was pressured into agreeing to elect a new president. Yanukovych was removed, and a warrant has since been issued for his arrest. In the wake of his removal, former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko was released from prison. She was previously a major figure in the country’s gas industry, and was charged by a biased court with misconduct, including embezzlement of funds. Tymoshenko has also stated that she will run for President in the coming election, with Oleksandr Turchynov holding the position of both President and Prime Minister for the time being.
(source: bbc.com)