Update | Ukraine President Viktor Yanukovych ‘wants to sign EU deal’
Officials urge President Viktor Yanukovych to show restraint after crackdown, which prompted demonstrators to stand their ground and reinforce protest camp
European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said on Thursday that Ukraine President Viktor Yanukovych “intends to sign” the far-reaching trade and co-operation agreement with the EU that he rejected only last month.
Ashton said that after talks with Yanukovych in Kiev it was clear that the short-term economic and financial issues Ukraine faces can be alleviated by signing the association agreement, which will bring in fresh investment from EU nations.
Ashton said that “Yanukovych made it clear to me that he intends to sign the association agreement.”
Signing would be an about-face for Yanukovych since his rejection to close the deal last month made it clear he sought closer links with Russia instead. Mass protests in Kiev since have been calling for closer links with the EU.
The United States earlier warned of possible sanctions over Kiev’s crackdown on opposition protests, urging authorities to show restraint, as pro-European Union demonstrators in Ukraine dug in on Thursday.
The demonstrators – who have occupied the capital’s Independence Square in anger at the rejection of a landmark EU pact – forced riot police to retreat following a pre-dawn raid on Wednesday on their protest camp in a blow to the authority of President Viktor Yanukovych.