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| Protests Continue as Ukraine Leader Defends Stance on Europe | Protests Continue as Ukraine Leader Defends Stance on Europe |
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| KIEV, Ukraine — As street demonstrations continued on Tuesday in cities across Ukraine, President Viktor F. Yanukovich defended his decision to abandon plans for signing far-reaching political and trade agreements with Europe. But his remarks failed to quell the protests, and angry demonstrators clashed anew with riot police in European Square in Kiev. | KIEV, Ukraine — As street demonstrations continued on Tuesday in cities across Ukraine, President Viktor F. Yanukovich defended his decision to abandon plans for signing far-reaching political and trade agreements with Europe. But his remarks failed to quell the protests, and angry demonstrators clashed anew with riot police in European Square in Kiev. |
| “I would like to emphasize that there is no other option than to build a society of European standards in Ukraine,” Mr. Yanukovich said late on Monday in his first public response to the rallies, which included an event in Kiev on Sunday that drew a crowd of tens of thousands, the biggest demonstration in the capital since the 2004 Orange Revolution. | “I would like to emphasize that there is no other option than to build a society of European standards in Ukraine,” Mr. Yanukovich said late on Monday in his first public response to the rallies, which included an event in Kiev on Sunday that drew a crowd of tens of thousands, the biggest demonstration in the capital since the 2004 Orange Revolution. |
| “My policy has always been and will remain consistent in this context,” he said in a video statement posted on the presidential website. | “My policy has always been and will remain consistent in this context,” he said in a video statement posted on the presidential website. |
| While Mr. Yanukovich promised to give an extensive television interview soon to further explain the situation, his decision last week not to sign the accords caught Ukrainians and European leaders largely by surprise. | While Mr. Yanukovich promised to give an extensive television interview soon to further explain the situation, his decision last week not to sign the accords caught Ukrainians and European leaders largely by surprise. |
| They had widely expected Ukraine to complete the deals at a conference that begins on Thursday in Vilnius, Lithuania. Indeed, the government’s announcement last week said that it had “suspended” its preparations to do just that. | They had widely expected Ukraine to complete the deals at a conference that begins on Thursday in Vilnius, Lithuania. Indeed, the government’s announcement last week said that it had “suspended” its preparations to do just that. |
| After more than four years of work toward the agreements, the first signs that anything was amiss came when Mr. Yanukovich held two meetings earlier this month in Moscow, where Russian officials, including President Vladimir V. Putin, have been maneuvering aggressively to derail the pacts. | |
| Then, the Ukrainian Parliament began stalling efforts to approve legislation required to meet conditions that the European Union had set, including a measure that would free the jailed former prime minister, Yulia V. Tymoshenko, to seek medical treatment in Germany. | Then, the Ukrainian Parliament began stalling efforts to approve legislation required to meet conditions that the European Union had set, including a measure that would free the jailed former prime minister, Yulia V. Tymoshenko, to seek medical treatment in Germany. |
| Western governments have long criticized Ms. Tymoshenko’s conviction and seven-year sentence on abuse of authority charges as politically motivated, given her status as Mr. Yanukovich’s main rival. Ms. Tymoshenko, who suffers from chronic back problems, announced Monday that she was beginning a hunger strike in solidarity with the street protesters. | Western governments have long criticized Ms. Tymoshenko’s conviction and seven-year sentence on abuse of authority charges as politically motivated, given her status as Mr. Yanukovich’s main rival. Ms. Tymoshenko, who suffers from chronic back problems, announced Monday that she was beginning a hunger strike in solidarity with the street protesters. |
| Mr. Yanukovich said the government was seeking to protect the most vulnerable Ukrainians from economic hardship, and he suggested that the restrained response by authorities to the demonstrations were evidence of an effort to build a more democratic society. | Mr. Yanukovich said the government was seeking to protect the most vulnerable Ukrainians from economic hardship, and he suggested that the restrained response by authorities to the demonstrations were evidence of an effort to build a more democratic society. |
| “The reforms we implement prove that we are moving the European way,” Mr. Yanukovich said. “We are building the state in which the human rights, equality before the law, the freedom of choice, social protection are the highest values for everyone.” | “The reforms we implement prove that we are moving the European way,” Mr. Yanukovich said. “We are building the state in which the human rights, equality before the law, the freedom of choice, social protection are the highest values for everyone.” |
| Even as he spoke though, it seemed clear that the government was taking steps to suppress dissent. A bus supposed to carry several dozen university students from the western city of Lviv to Kiev, where they planned to join the main protest, was prevented from departing by traffic police officers who spent more than an hour reviewing the driver’s documentation. The bus was allowed to leave, only to be stopped again on the outskirts of the city. | |
| There have been reports of other such traffic disruptions, and of transport companies being pressured not to charter buses to protesters from around Ukraine, suggesting a pattern by the government to minimize the number of demonstrators in the capital. | There have been reports of other such traffic disruptions, and of transport companies being pressured not to charter buses to protesters from around Ukraine, suggesting a pattern by the government to minimize the number of demonstrators in the capital. |
| “We have overcome a lot and there is still much to be overcome,” Mr. Yanukovich said. “Economic problems have always been, are and will always be the most difficult issue on this way. But I would have been dishonest and unfair if I hadn’t taken care of the most disadvantaged and vulnerable who are the first to suffer from the burden of the transition period.” | “We have overcome a lot and there is still much to be overcome,” Mr. Yanukovich said. “Economic problems have always been, are and will always be the most difficult issue on this way. But I would have been dishonest and unfair if I hadn’t taken care of the most disadvantaged and vulnerable who are the first to suffer from the burden of the transition period.” |
| European leaders have said that Mr. Yanukovich has complained of being pressured by Russia, including threats of trade sanctions that would potentially devastate businesses in eastern Ukraine, which is an important part of Mr. Yanukovich’s political base. | European leaders have said that Mr. Yanukovich has complained of being pressured by Russia, including threats of trade sanctions that would potentially devastate businesses in eastern Ukraine, which is an important part of Mr. Yanukovich’s political base. |