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Ukrainian President Defends Refusal to Sign Accords, as Protests Continue Amid Unrest, Ukrainian President Defends Choice on Accords
(about 3 hours later)
KIEV, Ukraine — Even as thousands of protesters occupied Independence Square, blockaded the Cabinet Ministry and continued to demand his resignation, President Viktor F. Yanukovich of Ukraine on Monday defended his refusal to sign accords with the European Union, said he was on the verge of securing lower gas prices from Russia, and urged opposition politicians to wait for presidential elections in 2015 to challenge him.KIEV, Ukraine — Even as thousands of protesters occupied Independence Square, blockaded the Cabinet Ministry and continued to demand his resignation, President Viktor F. Yanukovich of Ukraine on Monday defended his refusal to sign accords with the European Union, said he was on the verge of securing lower gas prices from Russia, and urged opposition politicians to wait for presidential elections in 2015 to challenge him.
On the day after a huge protest by hundreds of thousands of people in Kiev, the capital, and by thousands more in other cities, Mr. Yanukovich struck a casual pose, sitting in an armchair for an interview with four television stations. He seemed to brush aside the unrest in the country, saying he would leave as scheduled for a state visit to China on Tuesday and taking the opportunity to note that the government intended to increase financing for road repair next year. On the day after a protest by hundreds of thousands of people in Kiev, the capital, and by thousands more in other cities, Mr. Yanukovich struck a casual pose, sitting in an armchair for an interview with four television stations. He seemed to brush aside the unrest in the country, saying he would leave as scheduled for a state visit to China on Tuesday and taking the opportunity to note that the government intended to increase financing for road repair next year.
To many here, it was unclear if Mr. Yanukovich’s calm demeanor reflected supreme confidence, complete denial or some combination of the two. Other political leaders in Ukraine acknowledged that the authorities were facing a serious civil disturbance, including the occupation by protesters of Kiev City Hall and the large Trade Unions building nearby, as well as a blockade of the Cabinet Ministry, which prevented top officials from reaching their offices. To many here, it was unclear whether Mr. Yanukovich’s calm demeanor reflected supreme confidence, complete denial or a combination of the two. Other political leaders in Ukraine acknowledged that the authorities were facing a serious civil disturbance, including the occupation by protesters of Kiev City Hall and the large Trade Unions building nearby, as well as a blockade of the Cabinet Ministry, which prevented top officials from reaching their offices.
Prime Minister Mykola Azarov, in a meeting with Western ambassadors, complained about the widening unrest, saying, “This has all the signs of a coup.” Opposition leaders in Parliament said they would call for vote of no-confidence in the government on Tuesday, while protest leaders appeared to be digging in for a long battle on the streets, establishing a tent city in Independence Square that included first aid stations and canteens. Prime Minister Mykola Azarov, in a meeting with Western ambassadors, complained about the widening unrest, saying, “This has all the signs of a coup.” Opposition leaders in Parliament said they would call for vote of no-confidence in the government on Tuesday, while protest leaders appeared to be digging in for a long battle on the streets, establishing a tent city in Independence Square that included first-aid stations and canteens.
Mr. Yanukovich’s remarks during the interview suggested that he was reaching out even further for help from Russia, where President Vladimir V. Putin on Monday remarked, “The events in Ukraine seem more like a pogrom than a revolution.” Russia had exerted heavy pressure to convince Mr. Yanukovich to scuttle the political and free trade agreements with Europe, threatening trade sanctions that could decimate the Ukrainian economy. Mr. Yanukovich’s remarks suggested that he was reaching out even further for help from Russia, whose president, Vladimir V. Putin, on Monday said, “The events in Ukraine seem more like a pogrom than a revolution.”
Mr. Yanukovich, in the television interview, said that he planned to initiate negotiations this week with Russia to extend a strategic partnership agreement dating from 1997. He said that both Ukraine and Russia were acting in their own economic interests by seeking to strengthen ties, and he took a jab at the protesters who demanded that he sign the accords with Europe, suggesting that they were not acting in accordance with Western values. Russia had exerted heavy pressure to persuade Mr. Yanukovich to scuttle the political and free trade agreements with Europe, threatening trade sanctions that could ruin the Ukrainian economy.
“If we want European standards, we must do everything within the framework of the law — this is the principle of democracy,” Mr. Yanukovich said. He also suggested that the leaders in Parliament supporting demands for his resignation were getting ahead of themselves. “I urge all politicians not to rush,” he said. “They are all still young, and they have everything ahead of them. Elections are coming. People will determine. Whoever is elected, so be it.” Mr. Yanukovich said that he planned to initiate negotiations this week with Russia to extend a strategic partnership agreement dating from 1997. He said that both Ukraine and Russia were acting in their own economic interests by seeking to strengthen ties, and he took a jab at the protesters who demanded that he sign the accords with Europe, suggesting that they were not acting in accordance with Western values.
His remarks on elections were sure to draw snickers, given that Ukraine’s Orange Revolution in 2004 was set off by blatant ballot fraud that handed Mr. Yanukovich an easy victory in the presidential race that year. He has also been under sharp international criticism for the conviction and jailing of his main political rival, former president Yulia V. Tymoshenko, on abuse of authority charges. “If we want European standards, we must do everything within the framework of the law — this is the principle of democracy,” Mr. Yanukovich said. He also suggested that the leaders in Parliament supporting demands for his resignation were getting ahead of themselves. “Elections are coming, he said. “People will determine. Whoever is elected, so be it.”
Mr. Yanukovich also spoke by phone on Monday with the president of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso, and asked to continue some discussions around the political and free trade accords. The Europeans have said they remain open to signing the agreements, provided Ukraine meets necessary conditions, including efforts to overhaul its judicial system. Mr. Barroso in the telephone conversation urged restraint in dealing with protesters, and respect for civil liberties. His remarks on elections were sure to draw snickers, given that Ukraine’s Orange Revolution in 2004 was set off by blatant ballot fraud that handed Mr. Yanukovich an easy victory in the presidential race that year. He has also been under sharp international criticism for the conviction and jailing of his main political rival, former President Yulia V. Tymoshenko, on abuse of authority charges.
Several of the opposition leaders in Parliament, including Arseniy P. Yatseniuk of the Fatherland coalition, the boxing champion Vitali Klitschko, of the Udar party, and Oleg Tyagnibok of the nationalist Svoboda Party, are leading the protest movement in partnership with a coalition of civic activists. Mr. Yanukovich, in the interview, played down the allegations of Russian pressure over the accords, and said the Kremlin had expressed legitimate concerns. “What did Russia blame us for recently?” he asked rhetorically. “It accused us of not considering its interests during negotiations with the European Union,” he said. “Is this a fair position? Certainly, it’s fair.”
The speaker of Parliament, Volydymor Rybak, has called for “round-table” talks to resolve the crisis in Ukraine, using the same buzz-phrase for negotiations in 2004 that ultimately settled the Orange Revolution with a revote that Mr. Yanukovich lost to Viktor A. Yushchenko. Instead, Russia has urged Ukraine to join its customs union with Kazakhstan and Belarus. Armenia, also under pressure from Russia, abandoned talks with the European Union in September and announced it would join the customs union.
Mr. Rybak on Monday said that he did not see any basis for declaring a state of emergency. That was a step that Mr. Yanukovich and some of his top security advisers appeared to be considering, one that political experts said would almost certainly escalate the confrontation with demonstrators who have already defied court orders and other edicts. More than 500 people, some carrying Ukrainian flags, protested against the customs union on Monday in Yerevan, the Armenian capital, as Mr. Putin arrived in the country for talks. More than 100 protesters were arrested.
After a violent crackdown by the police on several hundred demonstrators early Saturday morning, serious fractures had appeared to emerge in Mr. Yanukovich’s administration, notably the chief of the presidential administration, Sergiy Liovochkin, and also among his Party of Regions in Parliament. Mr. Yanukovich also spoke by telephone on Monday with the president of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, and asked to continue some discussions around the political and free trade accords. The Europeans have said they remain open to signing the agreements, provided Ukraine meets necessary conditions, including efforts to overhaul its judicial system. Several of the opposition leaders in Parliament, including Arseniy P. Yatseniuk of the Fatherland coalition, the boxing champion Vitali Klitschko of the Udar party, and Oleg Tyagnibok of the nationalist Svoboda Party, are leading the protest movement in partnership with a coalition of civic activists.
On Monday, however, the president’s office sought to minimize those divisions. In a statement, the administration said Mr. Yanukovich had refused to accept Mr. Liovochkin’s resignation. The speaker of Parliament, Volydymor Rybak, has called for “round-table” talks to resolve the crisis, using the same buzz phrase for negotiations in 2004 that ultimately settled the Orange Revolution with a revote that Mr. Yanukovich lost to Viktor A. Yushchenko.
Nevertheless, Inna Bohoslovska, a member of Parliament who has quit Mr. Yanukovich’s Party of Regions in support of the demonstrators, called on Monday for the government to resign. Mr. Rybak on Monday said that he did not see any basis for declaring a state of emergency. That was a step that Mr. Yanukovich and some of his top advisers appeared to be considering, one that political experts said would almost certainly escalate the confrontation with demonstrators who have already defied court orders and other edicts.
After a violent crackdown by the police on several hundred demonstrators early Saturday morning, serious fractures had appeared to emerge within Mr. Yanukovich’s Party of Regions in Parliament and in the administration itself, notably the resignation of Sergiy Liovochkin, the chief of the presidential administration.
On Monday, however, the president’s office sought to minimize those divisions. In a statement, the administration said that Mr. Yanukovich had refused to accept Mr. Liovochkin’s resignation.
Nevertheless, Inna Bohoslovska, one of a handful of the president’s parliamentary allies who have quit the Party of Regions in support of the demonstrators, called on Monday for the government to resign.
After the huge rally on Sunday the demonstrators overnight blocked city streets, using Christmas decorations and police barricades intended to stop the protest.After the huge rally on Sunday the demonstrators overnight blocked city streets, using Christmas decorations and police barricades intended to stop the protest.
The result was an oddly festive, fir-trimmed encampment at the heart of the Ukrainian capital. Protest leaders, sensing that momentum had turned to their advantage, continued to add infrastructure to their operation, bringing in television monitors and erecting the small tent city. The result was an oddly festive, fir-trimmed encampment at the heart of the Ukrainian capital.
Protesters also continued to occupy City Hall in Kiev, where windows had been smashed and walls covered with graffiti. Under a sign for the Kiev City Council, someone had painted in black: “Revolution Headquarters.”