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| Buoyed by a Deal With Russia, Ukraine’s Leader Tries to Reassert His Authority | Buoyed by a Deal With Russia, Ukraine’s Leader Tries to Reassert His Authority |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| KIEV, Ukraine — President Viktor F. Yanukovich moved on several fronts on Thursday to reassert his domination in Ukraine, two days after receiving what appeared to be an economic lifeline in the form of at least $15 billion in aid from Russia and a substantial reduction in the price of Russian natural gas. | KIEV, Ukraine — President Viktor F. Yanukovich moved on several fronts on Thursday to reassert his domination in Ukraine, two days after receiving what appeared to be an economic lifeline in the form of at least $15 billion in aid from Russia and a substantial reduction in the price of Russian natural gas. |
| Painting himself as the benign father figure of his nation of 46 million people, Mr. Yanukovich held forth at a news conference with what appeared to be handpicked Ukrainian journalists, some of whom, however, boldly challenged him. The session lasted 100 minutes and was broadcast live on national television. | |
| He repeated previous assurances, broken on at least one occasion, that there would be no violent move to clear out the thousands of protesters who have occupied Independence Square and a central boulevard in Kiev, the capital, for more than three weeks. Yet he also strongly warned foreign visitors or outside powers against interference. | He repeated previous assurances, broken on at least one occasion, that there would be no violent move to clear out the thousands of protesters who have occupied Independence Square and a central boulevard in Kiev, the capital, for more than three weeks. Yet he also strongly warned foreign visitors or outside powers against interference. |
| “It is very important that this is our interior matter, that any other countries do not interfere in our interior matters and do not believe that they can hold sway here as they want on Maidan, or not on Maidan,” Mr. Yanukovich said, using the common name of Independence Square. The square has come to symbolize resistance to his rule and to his move away from a wide-ranging trade deal with Europe that his government suspended in November. | |
| “I am strongly against that someone come to our country and teach us how we should live here,” Mr. Yanukovich said. | |
| He also reminded unidentified politicians, who he suggested were simply trying to seize power, to forget “such revolutionary processes.” | He also reminded unidentified politicians, who he suggested were simply trying to seize power, to forget “such revolutionary processes.” |
| “We have a Constitution. We have laws,” Mr. Yanukovich said. “There are dates when elections are coming. Wait for elections and the Ukrainian people will speak their word.” | “We have a Constitution. We have laws,” Mr. Yanukovich said. “There are dates when elections are coming. Wait for elections and the Ukrainian people will speak their word.” |
| The next presidential election is set for Feb. 26, 2015, but opposition leaders and Western diplomats pointed to irregularities in the legislation that could allow a vote next year. | The next presidential election is set for Feb. 26, 2015, but opposition leaders and Western diplomats pointed to irregularities in the legislation that could allow a vote next year. |
| In a separate move that appeared aimed at defusing antigovernment sentiment, the Ukrainian Parliament approved a law offering amnesty to anyone detained or charged in the Independence Square protests. The law, introduced by five members from the governing Party of Regions, passed by a vote of 339 to 2. | |
| Attempts by the journalists to clarify the deal that Mr. Yanukovich and President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia announced in Moscow on Tuesday did not yield much more information. | Attempts by the journalists to clarify the deal that Mr. Yanukovich and President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia announced in Moscow on Tuesday did not yield much more information. |
| The timing and size of the installments in which Russia would buy Ukrainian bonds were unclear. In contrast, the reduction in the price of Russian natural gas will be reviewed every three months. | |
| In Washington, Senator John McCain, the Arizona Republican who on a recent visit to Kiev addressed the protesters and met with Mr. Yanukovich, was sharply critical of Mr. Putin on Thursday. | |
| “President Putin has pulled out all the stops to coerce, intimidate and threaten Ukraine away from Europe,” Mr. McCain said in an appearance at the Atlantic Council, a foreign policy group. | “President Putin has pulled out all the stops to coerce, intimidate and threaten Ukraine away from Europe,” Mr. McCain said in an appearance at the Atlantic Council, a foreign policy group. |
| Mr. McCain signaled that American lawmakers were prepared to impose sanctions on Ukraine if officials cracked down on the demonstrators. | Mr. McCain signaled that American lawmakers were prepared to impose sanctions on Ukraine if officials cracked down on the demonstrators. |
| Although the thousands braving the cold on Independence Square still voice their determination to stay until they are sure of real change, their mood in general has been deflated since word of the agreement with Russia. | Although the thousands braving the cold on Independence Square still voice their determination to stay until they are sure of real change, their mood in general has been deflated since word of the agreement with Russia. |
| “Nobody is getting ready to leave,” said Dmitri Shchetynin, 28, a youth organizer from western Ukraine. “We will stand here to the end.” | |
| But others headed home. Halina Zhuk, who owns a jewelry store in Ternopil, in western Ukraine, walked to the train station on Thursday. After three days in Independence Square, she said, she was leaving, uncertain of what else to do. | |
| “In order to see a painting, you need to walk away from it,” she said. “I need time to think. Then I’ll understand. But it was right to stand on the square. If you do nothing, you might wake up tomorrow in Russia.” | “In order to see a painting, you need to walk away from it,” she said. “I need time to think. Then I’ll understand. But it was right to stand on the square. If you do nothing, you might wake up tomorrow in Russia.” |
Oksana Lyachynska and Andrew E. Kramer contributed reporting from Kiev, and Michael R. Gordon from Washington. | Oksana Lyachynska and Andrew E. Kramer contributed reporting from Kiev, and Michael R. Gordon from Washington. |