Protests in Ukraine in 2013

On November 21, 2013 Ukraine’s President Viktor F. Yanukovych’s cabinet rejected a partnership deal with the EU (European Union) to form a partnership agreement deal with Russia instead. This sparked large deadly protests in Ukraine’s capital of Kiev which lasted for months. The protesters were that of pro-European Ukrainians and President Yanukovych is pro-Russia. The protests got so out of control that President Yanukovych felt the need to flee from Ukraine and head to Russia for his safety. Although the Ukrainian government felt that the protests were unnecessary which led to many deaths and injuries upon protesters and bystanders, the protesters had the right to protest against the Ukrainian government because the protesters felt as if the situation was unfair, they were upset that the government chose to earn “pocket money” instead of long-term rewards from the EU, and they felt threatened by the sudden appearance of Russian troops in Ukraine’s city of Crimea.

The protesters felt as if the situation was unfair. The government probably had a good reason or reasons behind their decision. It was unfair for Ukraine’s government to deny the deal with the EU before consenting to the people first because Ukraine’s government basically violated the pro-European Ukrainians rights. The pro-European Ukrainians felt that this was unfair and that their rights were violated too. The government should have consented to the people of Ukraine to get their opinions on the subject at hand considering Ukraine is a democracy after all.

The protesters were angry that the government accepted the deal with Russia which they earned “pocket money” out of it where if they accepted the deal from the EU they would have earned long-term rewards inste...

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...ies, particularly Russia.“ (2014, What next for Ukraine, par. 12) According to Yanukovych, “I'm still president. I had to leave Ukraine because people kept trying to kill me. And "Western powers" are to blame for all of this chaos. He also said that he won't ask Russian President Vladimir Putin for military muscle to help restore him to power, and seemed to reject talk of splitting up Ukraine into pro-European and pro-Russian halves.” (Pearson, 2014, What did the ousted President say today? And why is he in Russia?, par. 4) Even though he’s currently residing in Russia.

Works Cited

http://www.bbc.com/newsround/26257865. Article. 12. May 2014

Michael, Pearson. Article. 28. February 2014 http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/28/world/europe/ukraine-crimea-q-and-a/ Lara, Salahi. Article. 3 March 2014

“5 simple things that explain what’s happening in Ukraine”

Boston.com. Web.