President of Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovych has recently been dealing with a country filled with riots and talk of civil war. Protestors have been demanding that Yanukovych step down as president after he recently turned down a trade deal with the European Union (EU).
The EU is a group of over 25 countries linked towards economic integration through free trade agreements along with political association towards peace. This trade deal would have meant cheaper goods and trade embargoes and taxes lifted for trade between the Ukraine and countries in the EU. Yanukovych stated that he did not want to break the good trade relations the country currently has with Russia.
As a previous member of the Soviet Union before its dissolve in 1991, Ukraine is still heavily influenced by its neighbor to the East. Russia is a huge supplier of natural gas to Ukraine and Europe. Russia has threatened to stop selling natural gas to Ukraine if they begin to trade with the West. This threat, if followed through, would stop almost all energy flow in Ukraine. Although many citizens of the Ukraine are demanding more European influence and trade, the President shows no signs of breaking ties with Russia. Even UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has contacted Yanukovych stating the situation does not look good, but he hopes they can solve the protests with out violence.
Many believe the fight is already long past non-violence. Protesters in Kiev, Ukraine’s capitol recently toppled a statue of former Soviet Union leader Lenin yelling good bye to communism. After the statue hit the ground, protesters took turns passing around a sledgehammer, smashing the marble to pieces. Local police are investigating to find the group responsible, but have had no success. Protesters have also blockaded government buildings and rallied in the main square. The protesters number over 100,000 clearly showing the strength this group has amassed.
The Ukrainian people do have ground to stand on, since they have a lot to offer to other European countries. In 2011 Ukraine was also the third largest grain exporter, which has really helped keep their economy steady and earned them the nickname ‘the bread basket of Europe’. It is also the largest country in Europe being over 233,000 square miles. Ukraine’s gross domestic product (GDP) has significantly risen over the past two decades making them a suitable country to join trade with the EU.
The protesters have also grown support on social media websites like Twitter and Facebook posting where rallies will be held and how to show your support. This protesting has been going on for over a month and unless the people get what they want, there does not seem to be a clear end in sight. The UN does not plan on getting involved since a war has not broken out yet, and the EU’s deal is still on the table, but they must take it soon. If a civil war does break out, the EU will pull their deal, because a country amide a civil war is not a good country with which to set up free trade agreements.
