Yanukovych Tells West to Stay out of Ukraine Crisis
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Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych Thursday told the West to stay out of his country's political crisis, after top European and U.S. diplomats visited the protests that have raged for a month in central Kiev.
In the first live interview with Ukraine's main television channels since the crisis broke last month, Yanukovych said a bailout deal with Moscow did not contravene Kiev's EU hopes but said Ukraine could still join clauses of a rival Kremlin-led trade bloc.
Both the United States and the European bloc has sided with opposition protesters, with senior Western diplomatic figures pointedly meeting with their leaders and attending protests.
"I am categorically against others coming to our country and teaching us how to live," Yanukovych told reporters.
"What is very important is that this is our internal matter, and that other countries do not intervene in our internal affairs."
Russia's stunning bailout package has infuriated the Ukrainian opposition leading mass protests against Yanukovych, whom they have accused of selling out to the Kremlin after rejecting an integration deal with the European Union.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday agreed to buy $15 billion (11 billion euros) of Ukraine's debt in eurobonds and slash Ukraine's gas bill by a third.
"Here (in the signed documents) there is no contradiction between Ukraine's course and whatever kind of integration," Yanukovych said.
"We are not talking about integration, we are talking about economic relations," he said, referring to ties with Russia which has pressed Kiev to join a Moscow-led Customs Union.
The Ukrainian government last month unexpectedly halted work on key political and free trade agreements with the European Union, sparking the largest demonstrations since the pro-democracy Orange Revolution in 2004.
Yanukovych added that Ukraine "took a pause" to decide on "what conditions we are signing the free trade zone agreement (with the EU)."
"When we will see that this is advantageous to us then no doubt a positive decision will be taken," the Ukrainian president said.
Yanukovych also acknowledged that Kiev could adhere to certain clauses of the Customs Union which includes ex-Soviet Belarus and Kazakhstan.
"The government of Ukraine has received these (Customs Union) documents and is examining their clauses. And after drawing conclusions, we will decide which clauses (of the Customs Union) to join," Yanukovych said in the interview.
19 December 2013, 14:40
49
The US and the EU are once again trying to intimidate Russia. Poor Ukraine just happens to be between the two.
The US and the EU are also very angry at Russia's backing of Assad that has thwarted their plans to break up Iran's strategic block.
Yanukovych should throw out all the NGOs. These NGOs have been the financial and logistical patrons of many so called revolutions.
These colored revolutions have been betrayed just as the Arab Spring. All these "revolutions" are are bankster takeovers stealing national wealth.
And let's just take a look at how the EU is doing. They have thrown millions into poverty with austerity to protect their banksters.
Greece, Spain, Ireland, Portugal and other countries have been bankrupted vouching for English, German and French bank's bad loans.
Ukraine is no model country but their choice is maintain the relationship with the Putin Mafia or be bankrupted by EU banksterism.
Some choice ...
19 December 2013, 15:12
81
Poutine is agnry at assad for his oil system linking iran to lebanon via iraq. Russia is in contact with KSA... alliances can be undone, you should know this. it's all about the money.
19 December 2013, 15:17
20
first France is economic and debt trouble too. second so you think you know more than the central banks of Spain, Greeece, Ireland, etc. if you know nothing about economics your comment might seem like its convincing, but of u do know economics you'll know that ur comments are bull. there are so many factors why they went bankrupt and none would be the reason u stated. the fact is that Italy and Greece always used to depreciate their currency to deal with economic trouble but could not do so with the euro and irresponsible government spending like the retirement pension at 55!!!! in greece. and many more but none would be that the E.U is tricking them and they cant see it but you can hahahaha
19 December 2013, 15:26
26
The German, French and British banks that made bad loans and bought bad bonds should have eaten their losses, gone bankrupt and started over. Instead peripheral countries were made to make good those losses bankrupting them and throwing their people into poverty and debt peonage.
19 December 2013, 15:38
20
bad loans good loans bad bonds good bonds... again u know nothing about econ and you are just talking jiberish. stick to ur sick view in politics but when it comes to econ saying a few random words won't make u sound reasonable not smart.
19 December 2013, 15:46
40
one more thing. although the U.K is in the EU, it did not join their currency meaning they did not sell or buy euro bonds and more importantly refused to join the bailout efforts of Germany and France , but it was mainly Germany cause France isn't fairing well. so how u brought the U.K into the E.U fiasco is beyond me
19 December 2013, 15:20
37
Please tell us what you think of EU austerity. The rising unemployment rate, over 25% in some countries, poverty and the rise of fascism in Spain and Greece? Have you been following Eastern Europe?
Then there are the protests that don't get coverage. Italy's PM is afraid of mass unrest as early as next year. Spain is outlawing protests and privatizing police procedures such as searches and seizures. There are protests in almost every EU country.
The EU is no panacea. Ukrainians that think they will in for a western lifestyle will be sorely disappointed as their wealth is sucked up by the northern EU countries just as southern and eastern Europe's were.
19 December 2013, 15:10
81
wohooo! Victor is about to get The Slap of his life.
Russia is only granting Ukraine and loan... and a temporary 30% discount on energy. The current governement is not reforming the system as it should and is only buying time.
This pill will be hard to swallow for most ukrainians...
expect more demonstrators in the upcoming days.
19 December 2013, 15:23
37
"while the real communism/socialism is now none other than france, great britain, and USA, the once hardcore capitalists."
Socialism for the rich and corporations ... capitalism for the poor, the young and the aged ...
19 December 2013, 15:29
40
even in recession the E.U still has a better economy and much higher GDP per capita than Russia. second Russia is as capitalist as USA. the laon Russia offered Ukraine has an interest rate twice as high as what the EU was gonna offer. Lastly Putin is a Capitalist like any american, Russia has the highest oil production in the world ( more than saudi) with small oil reserves relatively. menaing Putin would make sure Russia sells all its oil within 25 yrs , and owning stock is russias manor enegry producers that would mean major money for putin and co and no oil revenue for future Russia, how patriotic of him!! he's probably friends with the Bush family selling oil and abusing countries
