Euronews correspondent in Ukraine gives view on crisis

Euronews correspondent in Ukraine gives view on crisis
By Euronews
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Claudio Rosmino: “In order to get a clearer understanding of how the crisis in Ukraine might play out I am joined by Sergio Cantone who is the Managing Editor of our Kyiv bureau.

‘Thousands of people are still protesting on the streets but the government’s tone has strengthened calling for opposition leaders to take responsibility for their actions and to deal with criminals who are leading the demos. It’s a situation which could worsen. Up to what point can the opposition resist against President Yanukovych.”

Sergio Cantone: “The crucial test is in the next few days.. We will then know if the people who are on Independence Square and in other areas of Kyiv and who are protesting at the moment if they want to follow the opposition leaders.

‘There are two movements, two states of mind – the Pro Europe movement and then there is the political one which found themselves coming together especially after the attempts by police to repress the demonstrations.

‘The idea of early elections was put forward by the current leader of the opposition based on the large numbers of protesters even though on Tuesday in parliament they failed in their bid with a vote of no confidence against the government of Prime Minister Azarov.

euronews: “Is there still room to conclude negotiations with the EU. On the one hand Kyiv played the appeasement card of sending a delegation to Brussels and on the other the ties with Moscow are increasingly strong as shown by the agreement on gas with Russia.”

Sergio Cantone: “The prospect of signing an association agreement with the European Union and on the other hand the pressure from Moscow on Kyiv to participate in a union with them has plunged the Ukrainian government into a difficult predicament.

‘Now after the “no” to the Association Agreement and while the popular movement continues – and I repeat it continues – their predicament has deepened. The current leadership President Yanukovych and the government of Prime Minister Azarov is trying to find a way of justifying itself and saying that the negotiations are still ongoing.

‘We will see if this is true in the coming days and above all we are waiting see what kind of response will come from the European Union and to see if will still place its trust in Kyiv.”

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