The protests started with the Russian-friendly president of Ukraine stopping a deal that would lead to Ukraine's ascension to the EU. Protestors carried EU and Ukrainian flags symbolizing their desire for their country to move away from Russia's sphere of influence and ally with the West.
About 100 people have died in the crashes, and world leaders have weighed in on the matter.
Do you think that a deal can be reached, and that this is the end of the protests? Keep in mind that Ukraine is culturally divided between the Russophone east and the more EU-leaning western half of the country. Plus, while a ceasefire was declared last night, it lasted for several hours before violence broke out again.
The link is saying page not found. The thing is, some people believe Russia is using power to make the Ukraine side with them. As former USSR states the reason for them doing so. Others may suggest that the Euro and EU is in a bad way. Greece and Ireland needed bail outs effecting the Euro currency. Russia could be more better for economic growth than the Euro.
Without knowing the details of what each side offers to them. It is improbable to make a decision.
Latest news has it the parliament has made Yanukovych step down, and elections are slated for this March.
Me, I mostly come away from this once again with the feeling all of our (Western) leaders having butter on their heads, as we say in Dutch. Being wilfully naive, washing their hands in innocence, I'm not sure of an appropriate English phrase.
My, my, and how we bewail and protest the treatment of those poor democratic protesters! Imagine something like this going down in your country, and the authorities not crushing down on it with all their might, and calling any outside objections undue mingling in their internal affairs, or so.
Last time Dutch protesters succesfully held barricades involving essentially part of a one street for three-four days (not months) was in 1980, when armored vehicles were brought in to end it, with leaflets strewn from helicopters overhead threatening to shoot on sight if the protests continued. Similarly, our Dutch minister of Foreign Affairs was seen on TV stating that shooting protestors in the back was just unacceptable -- nonetheless I have been at protests where there were police snipers on the roofs all around, ostensibly for no other reason than to shoot at demonstrators if deemed necessary.
Um, May, sorry. & Good for them, too, in case it needs adding. The make-up of that protest movement by all accounts being murky at best notwithstanding. IMO people have a right to have their protest movements be murky.
