Russia and the Ukraine - EU Association Agreement

Russia and the Ukraine - EU Association Agreement

Autor(en): Robert W. Orttung
Herausgeber: Stephen Aris, Matthias Neumann, Robert Orttung, Jeronim Perovic, Heiko Pleines, Hans-Henning Schröder, Aglaya Snetkov
Serie: Russian Analytical Digest (RAD)
Ausgabe: 142
Seiten: 2-6
Verlag(e): Center for Security Studies (CSS), ETH Zurich; Research Centre for East European Studies, University of Bremen; Institute for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies, George Washington University
Publikationsjahr: 2014

Russia’s efforts to block Ukraine from signing an Association Agreement with the EU helped to trigger a strong anti-Yanukovych street protest that has continued since November. Although it is not clear if Yanukovych would have signed the agreement without the intense Russian pressure, he is now facing a significant threat to his rule from angry citizens who want closer ties to Europe. The protests pose a strong challenge to Putin’s efforts to maintain stability in Russia while the EU has to figure out how to regain the momentum in spurring real reform in Ukraine.