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| Thousands of Ukrainians Protest Scrapping of Trade Pact With E.U. | Thousands of Ukrainians Protest Scrapping of Trade Pact With E.U. |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| KIEV, Ukraine — Tens of thousands of people marched through downtown Kiev on Sunday to protest the government’s decision last week to abandon far-reaching political and free trade agreements with the European Union and instead focus on improving economic ties with Russia. | KIEV, Ukraine — Tens of thousands of people marched through downtown Kiev on Sunday to protest the government’s decision last week to abandon far-reaching political and free trade agreements with the European Union and instead focus on improving economic ties with Russia. |
| Waving European Union flags, as well as the flags of Ukraine’s main opposition parties, a sea of demonstrators chanting “Ukraine is Europe!” marched from Shevchenko Park through Independence Square, the main site of Ukraine’s 2004 Orange Revolution, and on to European Square for a rally in front of Ukrainian House, a famous building that houses a convention center. | Waving European Union flags, as well as the flags of Ukraine’s main opposition parties, a sea of demonstrators chanting “Ukraine is Europe!” marched from Shevchenko Park through Independence Square, the main site of Ukraine’s 2004 Orange Revolution, and on to European Square for a rally in front of Ukrainian House, a famous building that houses a convention center. |
| Clusters of riot police officers were deployed along the route, drawing jeers from marchers but not interfering with the event. | Clusters of riot police officers were deployed along the route, drawing jeers from marchers but not interfering with the event. |
| “For young people, the future is brighter with Europe,” said Maria Lyskenko, 20, a student, who stood with her friend, Alyona Zorina, also 20, holding a sign that said, “Europe = Future Ukraine.” | “For young people, the future is brighter with Europe,” said Maria Lyskenko, 20, a student, who stood with her friend, Alyona Zorina, also 20, holding a sign that said, “Europe = Future Ukraine.” |
| Ms. Zorina said that President Viktor F. Yanukovich was acting out of selfishness and self-interest in deciding not to sign the agreements with the European Union. “He’s more interested in his own business dealings with Russia,” she said. | Ms. Zorina said that President Viktor F. Yanukovich was acting out of selfishness and self-interest in deciding not to sign the agreements with the European Union. “He’s more interested in his own business dealings with Russia,” she said. |
| The political and trade accords, which had been in development for more than four years, had been scheduled to be signed later this week at a major conference in Vilnius, Lithuania. But on Wednesday, the Ukrainian government announced that it had suspended its plans to complete the agreements. | The political and trade accords, which had been in development for more than four years, had been scheduled to be signed later this week at a major conference in Vilnius, Lithuania. But on Wednesday, the Ukrainian government announced that it had suspended its plans to complete the agreements. |
| On Sunday evening, several thousand protesters were engaged in a standoff with a phalanx of police outside the Cabinet of Ministers Building. Some tussled with the officers, who were wearing gas masks, and tear gas was sprayed, but it was unclear whether the police or protesters had used it. At one point, a lit flare was thrown at the police in gas masks who were blocking access building, and a flagpole was knocked down. | |
| The police reacted with restraint and there were no immediate reports of arrests. Some demonstrators, however, said that tension was building. | The police reacted with restraint and there were no immediate reports of arrests. Some demonstrators, however, said that tension was building. |
| “The situation in society is boiling,” said Svyatoslav Tseholko, a television host and chief projects editor of Ukraine’s Channel 5, who attended the demonstration wearing a blue and yellow ribbon. “And we don’t know when is the time the top will pop off.” | “The situation in society is boiling,” said Svyatoslav Tseholko, a television host and chief projects editor of Ukraine’s Channel 5, who attended the demonstration wearing a blue and yellow ribbon. “And we don’t know when is the time the top will pop off.” |
| Mr. Tseholko was urging demonstrators outside the Cabinet Ministers Building to remain calm and not resort to violence against the police, but he said that he understood the crowd’s anger over the decision to back away from the accords under pressure from Russia. | |
| “It’s a sign that Ukraine can lose its statehood; it can lose its independence,” he said. “And if we lose our independence, we lose everything.” | “It’s a sign that Ukraine can lose its statehood; it can lose its independence,” he said. “And if we lose our independence, we lose everything.” |
| In a sign of solidarity with the protesters, one of the country’s main news sites, Ukrainska Pravada – Ukrainian Truth – changed the name at the top of its home page to Evropeiska Pravada: European Truth. | In a sign of solidarity with the protesters, one of the country’s main news sites, Ukrainska Pravada – Ukrainian Truth – changed the name at the top of its home page to Evropeiska Pravada: European Truth. |
| Blue and yellow were the colors of the day, as some marchers wrapped themselves in sky-blue and pale yellow flag of Ukraine, while others wore the dark blue flag with yellow stars of the European Union. | Blue and yellow were the colors of the day, as some marchers wrapped themselves in sky-blue and pale yellow flag of Ukraine, while others wore the dark blue flag with yellow stars of the European Union. |
| “Ukrainians want to live as Europe,” said Wladimir Klitschko, who was standing in at the rally for his brother, the boxing champion Vitali Klitschko, who is a member of Parliament and leads the political party Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reform. (Its acronym, UDAR, spells a word meaning “punch.”) | “Ukrainians want to live as Europe,” said Wladimir Klitschko, who was standing in at the rally for his brother, the boxing champion Vitali Klitschko, who is a member of Parliament and leads the political party Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reform. (Its acronym, UDAR, spells a word meaning “punch.”) |
| “I am confident that together we will get there,” Wladimir Klitschko said. “And I am certain that we will win.” | “I am confident that together we will get there,” Wladimir Klitschko said. “And I am certain that we will win.” |
| Ukrainian news agencies reported that Vitali Klitschko was out of the country to celebrate his daughter’s birthday and had tried to return for the protest but his plane was unable to land in Kiev due to bad weather. | Ukrainian news agencies reported that Vitali Klitschko was out of the country to celebrate his daughter’s birthday and had tried to return for the protest but his plane was unable to land in Kiev due to bad weather. |
| Fog hovered over Kiev for much of the day, with slate skies threatening a downpour that never arrived. | Fog hovered over Kiev for much of the day, with slate skies threatening a downpour that never arrived. |
| Some demonstrators said the protests would continue at least until Friday on the slim hope that until the conference in Vilnius ends, there is a still a chance that Mr. Yanukovich will resurrect the agreements and sign them. | Some demonstrators said the protests would continue at least until Friday on the slim hope that until the conference in Vilnius ends, there is a still a chance that Mr. Yanukovich will resurrect the agreements and sign them. |
| On Friday, Prime Minister Mykola Azarov said that harsh terms set by the International Monetary Fund for a financial aid package were the “last straw” that led to the decision to ditch the agreements. But critics said the real reason was intense pressure from Russia, which had maneuvered forcefully to derail the agreements. | On Friday, Prime Minister Mykola Azarov said that harsh terms set by the International Monetary Fund for a financial aid package were the “last straw” that led to the decision to ditch the agreements. But critics said the real reason was intense pressure from Russia, which had maneuvered forcefully to derail the agreements. |
| Another crucial factor was the country’s domestic politics. As a condition for signing the accords, European officials had demanded the release of Ukraine’s jailed former prime minister, Yulia V. Tymoshenko, a main rival of Mr. Yanukovich. | Another crucial factor was the country’s domestic politics. As a condition for signing the accords, European officials had demanded the release of Ukraine’s jailed former prime minister, Yulia V. Tymoshenko, a main rival of Mr. Yanukovich. |
| In addition to Mr. Klitschko’s party, the main participants in Sunday’s demonstration were Ms. Tymoshenko’s party, called Fatherland, and the nationalist party Svoboda. | In addition to Mr. Klitschko’s party, the main participants in Sunday’s demonstration were Ms. Tymoshenko’s party, called Fatherland, and the nationalist party Svoboda. |
| Arseniy P. Yatsenyuk, the leader of Fatherland in Parliament, called on Mr. Azarov and Mr. Yanukovich to reverse the decision and renew Ukraine’s pursuit of European integration. But Mr. Yatsenyuk said he had little hope of them doing so. “They genuinely hate Ukraine and democracy,” he said. | Arseniy P. Yatsenyuk, the leader of Fatherland in Parliament, called on Mr. Azarov and Mr. Yanukovich to reverse the decision and renew Ukraine’s pursuit of European integration. But Mr. Yatsenyuk said he had little hope of them doing so. “They genuinely hate Ukraine and democracy,” he said. |
| While Mr. Azarov told lawmakers that the government’s only choice was to abandon the agreements given the country’s financial troubles, Mr. Yanukovich, who plans to run for re-election in 2015, has said little about the decision though he has sued statements saying that Ukraine would remain on a path toward European integration. | While Mr. Azarov told lawmakers that the government’s only choice was to abandon the agreements given the country’s financial troubles, Mr. Yanukovich, who plans to run for re-election in 2015, has said little about the decision though he has sued statements saying that Ukraine would remain on a path toward European integration. |
| The conflicting statements are characteristic of Ukraine’s often inscrutable politics and its increasingly untenable position between the competing demands of Europe and Russia. | The conflicting statements are characteristic of Ukraine’s often inscrutable politics and its increasingly untenable position between the competing demands of Europe and Russia. |
| According to European officials, Russia had threatened to retaliate with trade sanctions that would have been particularly damaging to eastern Ukraine, a main base of support for Mr. Yanukovich. | According to European officials, Russia had threatened to retaliate with trade sanctions that would have been particularly damaging to eastern Ukraine, a main base of support for Mr. Yanukovich. |
| President Vladimir V. Putin and other Russian officials have denied strong-arming Ukraine. Mr. Putin said he had merely pointed out that a free-trade agreement between Ukraine and Europe would require Russia to take steps to prevent its market from being flooded with cheap European goods. | President Vladimir V. Putin and other Russian officials have denied strong-arming Ukraine. Mr. Putin said he had merely pointed out that a free-trade agreement between Ukraine and Europe would require Russia to take steps to prevent its market from being flooded with cheap European goods. |
| The Kremlin has urged former Soviet republics that have been in talks with the Europeans, including Ukraine and Moldova, to instead consider instead joining a customs union Russia has formed with Kazakhstan and Belarus. | |
This article has been revised to reflect the following correction: | This article has been revised to reflect the following correction: |
| Correction: November 24, 2013 | Correction: November 24, 2013 |
An earlier version of this article misidentified the Klitschko brother who spoke at the rally. It was Vladimir Klitschko, a boxer, not Viltali Klitschko, the boxing champion and a member of Parliament, who leads the political party Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reform. | An earlier version of this article misidentified the Klitschko brother who spoke at the rally. It was Vladimir Klitschko, a boxer, not Viltali Klitschko, the boxing champion and a member of Parliament, who leads the political party Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reform. |