General Discussion

The Straight Story

(48,121 posts)

2. This may help:

Sat Jan 25, 2014, 12:42 AM

Jan 2014

For three hours Yanukovich cajoled and bullied anyone who pushed for Ukraine to have closer ties to Russia. A handful of deputies from his Party of Regions complained that their businesses in Ukraine's Russian-speaking east would suffer if Yanukovich didn't agree to closer ties with Russia. That set him off.

"Forget about it ... forever!" he shouted at them, according to people who attended the meeting. Instead the president argued for an agreement to deepen trade and other cooperation with the European Union.

Some deputies implored him to change his mind, people who attended the meeting told Reuters. Businessmen warned that a deal with the EU would provoke Russia - Ukraine's former master in Soviet times - into toughening an economic blockade on Ukrainian goods. Yanukovich stood firm.

"We will pursue integration with Europe," he barked back, according to three people who attended the meeting. He seemed dead set on looking west.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/12/19/uk-ukraine-russia-deal-idUKBRE9BI0E320131219

And on reddit a sticky to live streams/etc:
http://www.reddit.com/r/worldnews/comments/1vwshh/ukraine_revolt_livestream_sticky_post/

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

39 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

What is going on in Ukraine? Who is for what in that country? [View all] JDPriestly Jan 2014 OP

You KNOW google is your friend, right? babylonsister Jan 2014 #1

This message was self-deleted by its author Mika Jan 2014 #3

This may help: The Straight Story Jan 2014 #2

the Ukraine isnt a nice place to live. Niceguy1 Jan 2014 #4

The health care in Ukraine is for shit. Jenoch Jan 2014 #17

That is an oddity with regard to food dipsydoodle Jan 2014 #18

I think that the foods price Niceguy1 Jan 2014 #21

I thought the same thing....just read that China bought a bunch of their land to farm for Laura PourMeADrink Jan 2014 #25

there's oil in the Ukraine, too elehhhhna Jan 2014 #38

Party in government is pro-Russia. Demonstrators are pro-EU and want Ukraine to align with Europe. Spider Jerusalem Jan 2014 #5

Right, demonstrators are pissed because Ukraine turned down EU membership Lasher Jan 2014 #6

And take a guess where that "loan" money will go. defacto7 Jan 2014 #7

Reelection. joshcryer Jan 2014 #11

getting big loans from the EU or EU/IMF/ECB troika comes with current EU neoliberal policies as well BelgianMadCow Jan 2014 #14

The agricultural west wants to join EU; the industrial east wants to join Russia FarCenter Jan 2014 #8

Difficult to split, no really defined border between ethnic regions. joshcryer Jan 2014 #10

Agree with this.... Adrahil Jan 2014 #32

Good outline BelgianMadCow Jan 2014 #12

Yanukovych actually ran on a pro-EU integration platform in the 2010 election. pampango Jan 2014 #22

Without energy the economy collapses; Ukraine runs on oil and gas from Russian pipelines FarCenter Jan 2014 #26

"NATO politics does not allow for neutral countries. You are either with us or against us." pampango Jan 2014 #30

The real choice is not up to the Ukrainian people FarCenter Jan 2014 #31

Perhaps true. But no one has apparently told them that. pampango Jan 2014 #39

That is interesting to me. My grandparents immigrated from the Ukraine sometime around 1920 but Laura PourMeADrink Jan 2014 #27

Look up the book Bloodlands:Europe between Hitler and Stalin Packerowner740 Jan 2014 #9

I'm reccing this thread for the audacity and courage to a) say you don't know and b) ask for help BelgianMadCow Jan 2014 #13

All I know is that it's a fine mess and we need to stay the hell out of it. LuvNewcastle Jan 2014 #15

No, "you" wont stay out. You're perceived to be in the thick of it. To wit: BelgianMadCow Jan 2014 #19

It's just as I thought. Some people have to stick their noses (and dollars) into everything. LuvNewcastle Jan 2014 #24

Here are the three opposition parties: BelgianMadCow Jan 2014 #16

The issue seems to have become dipsydoodle Jan 2014 #20

Is Putin MIA on this? randome Jan 2014 #23

Not in this lifetime. Are_grits_groceries Jan 2014 #33

I don't have a lot of time to research these matters to any great extent. randome Jan 2014 #36

No, of course not... Adrahil Jan 2014 #34

Actually, siding with the protesters sounds like it has its shortcomings, as well. randome Jan 2014 #35

Sure it does. As with all things, it's rarely a black and white issue... Adrahil Jan 2014 #37

JDP - You left yourself wide open. But ! It always amazes me that people here Laura PourMeADrink Jan 2014 #28

This message was self-deleted by its author TBF Jan 2014 #29