Reports: Ukraine's president offers concessions as protests continue

[Are_grits_groceries]

President Viktor Yanukovych on Jan. 24 promised religious leaders that a special session of parliament Jan. 28 would address several issues, including amnesty for jailed activists and changes to Ukraine's strict anti-protest laws. Yanukovych also pledged to reshuffle the government, according to reports citing the Interfax news agency.

Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych met in Moscow with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Dec. 2013, likely damaging Ukraine's chances for closer ties with the European Union, and sparking ongoing protests. The two countries signed several agreements aimed at boosting economic ties, all while pro-EU demonstrations continued in Kiev.

The EU's enlargement chief, Stefan Fule, said in Dec. 2013 that work on trade and political agreements had been suspended. He said at the time that clear commitments by Ukraine's government must be reached before talks continue. Fule planned on returning to Kiev for two days beginning Jan. 24 to discuss developments.

Opposition leaders, including boxing champion Vitali Klitschko, met with President Viktor Yanukovych on Jan. 23. Some said they saw hope of ending the violence, but Klitschko was not optimistic. Early on Jan. 24, a group occupied the Ministry of Agricultural Policy in Kiev.
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More: http://cir.ca/news/ukraine-protests

The protests have spread beyond Kiev:
@nycjim: Useful map via @MaximEristavi: Where local gov't offices were seized (red); where local gov'ts "under siege" (pink)
@nycjim

We shall see.

[pampango]

1. Interesting that Yanukovych ran on a pro-EU integration platform in 2010.

Something apparently changed his mind since then. It is not too hard to see that many Ukrainians feel they have been double-crossed.

Regarding the European Union (EU) Yanukovych wants to create a free trade zone and visa-free travel between Ukraine and the EU countries. Once "Ukraine achieves those standards that currently exist in Europe", then the country should consider joining the EU. "But today this is an absolutely motivating, stimulating process we must aspire to", he stated in January 2010. In May 2011 Yanukovych stated that he will strive for Ukraine to join the EU. According to Yanukovych Ukrainian relations with "the West" are "a guide in both social and technical standards that we should strive for in creating a European life level in Ukraine". Yanukovych believes that the European integration of Ukraine is not an end in itself, but a way of implementation of the European standards in the state.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viktor_Yanukovych#Official_political_positions