- Title: UKRAINE: Protesters return to Kiev square to demand EU integration
- Date: 26th November 2013
- Summary: KIEV, UKRAINE (NOVEMBER 26, 2013) (REUTERS) (NIGHTSHOTS) WIDE OF PROTESTERS IN EUROPEAN SQUARE, ONE OF TWO LOCATIONS IN KIEV WHERE DEMONSTRATORS GATHERED FLAGS WITH 'SVOBODA' (FREEDOM) WRITTEN ON THEM PROTESTERS IN SQUARE PROTESTER HOLDING UKRAINIAN FLAG / WIDE OF SQUARE FILLED WITH PROTESTERS (SOUNDBITE) (Ukrainian) PROTESTER FROM KHARKIV, KATYA CHERNYAVFKA, SAYING: "You know, it is very good to see that people are not sleeping, that people are rising up. This gives us great hope." (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) PENSIONER FROM KIEV, YULIY NIKONSHUK, SAYING: "I am here not for myself but for my children and grandchildren. I want my children to live in a normal, civilised country." VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WARMING UP NEAR FIRE MAN WITH RIBBON IN COLOURS OF UKRAINIAN FLAG IN CROWD PROTESTERS ON STAGE PROTESTERS NEAR FIRE WIDE OF SQUARE
- Embargoed: 11th December 2013 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Ukraine
- Country: Ukraine
- Topics: General,Politics
- Reuters ID: LVAD52DBQRJM0BIQXEEY8WBERDAA
- Story Text: About 2,000 Ukrainian protesters gathered again on Tuesday (November 26), for another day of protests of Ukraine's abrupt u-turn last week that took the country off of the road to cementing closer relations with the European Union.
Waving Ukrainian, EU and opposition party flags, protesters said they wanted to be a part of the 28-member body and wanted Ukraine to sign an association agreement with the EU.
"You know, it is very good to see that people are not sleeping, that people are rising up. This gives us great hope," said a protester from Kharkiv Katya Chernyavfka.
"I am here not for myself but for my children and grandchildren. I want my children to live in a normal, civilised country," said Yuliy Nikonshuk, a pensioner from Kiev.
Ukraine had been expected to sign a far-reaching trade and political association agreement with the EU at a summit in Vilnius on Friday (November 29). But it suddenly announced last week it had decided to seek closer trade relations with Moscow instead.
The decision followed months of Russian pressure, including threats to cut off Ukraine's gas supplies and impose trade restrictions. At the same time, Moscow has accused the European Union of putting the squeeze on Kiev, too.
Protests have since broken out on the streets of Kiev, with tens of thousands of people demonstrating in favour of closer relations with the European Union, the biggest outpouring since its pro-democracy Orange Revolution nine years ago.
In unusually firm language on Monday (November 25), the EU's two most senior officials, European Council President Herman Van Rompuy and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, denounced Russia's actions and said the EU offer remained on the table. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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