World press on EU-Ukraine Association Agreement (June 27, 2014)"Ukraine signs landmark accord with E.U." is an article which appeared today in the Washington Post. "Russia has said that it views the expansion of E.U. ties to its border as a Western encroachment on a region that has long been within the Kremlin’s sphere of influence. Russia has sought to enlist those countries in the Eurasian Union, its competing vision of an alliance based on values dominated by Moscow and free of Western influence. E.U. leaders — along with those of Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova — have said that the deal does not constitute a challenge to Russia," the article reads."Many Ukrainians are also cautious about joining the European Union, with polls showing about half in favor, while about a third favor joining the Eurasian Union. Before the crisis, Ukraine’s trade volumes with the European Union and Russia were roughly equal. Workers in Ukraine’s industrial heartland in the east are particularly dependent on business with Russia — trade that was likely to be slashed by the new tariffs Russia has threatened to introduce on Ukrainian goods."Commenting on effect of the agreement on relations between the countries that signed it and Russia, the article reads "Those steps are likely to impose significant economic hardships on the countries, which remain closely tied to Russia as an export market. Armenia, another former Soviet republic that was also due to sign the agreement, reversed course in September when Russia lobbied intensely for it not to do so... In addition to Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia also face pro-Russian separatist movements on their soil, and officials in all three countries have expressed fears that Russia will stoke tensions even further after the E.U. deal. Russia went to war with Georgia in 2008 in the breakaway region of South Ossetia, and Russian soldiers are stationed as peacekeepers in the breakaway Moldovan region of Transnistria. The separatists in eastern Ukraine have also declared their intention to create an independent state."
"Ukraine signs landmark accord with E.U." is an article which appeared today in the Washington Post.
"Russia has said that it views the expansion of E.U. ties to its border as a Western encroachment on a region that has long been within the Kremlin’s sphere of influence. Russia has sought to enlist those countries in the Eurasian Union, its competing vision of an alliance based on values dominated by Moscow and free of Western influence. E.U. leaders — along with those of Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova — have said that the deal does not constitute a challenge to Russia," the article reads.
"Many Ukrainians are also cautious about joining the European Union, with polls showing about half in favor, while about a third favor joining the Eurasian Union. Before the crisis, Ukraine’s trade volumes with the European Union and Russia were roughly equal. Workers in Ukraine’s industrial heartland in the east are particularly dependent on business with Russia — trade that was likely to be slashed by the new tariffs Russia has threatened to introduce on Ukrainian goods."
Commenting on effect of the agreement on relations between the countries that signed it and Russia, the article reads "Those steps are likely to impose significant economic hardships on the countries, which remain closely tied to Russia as an export market. Armenia, another former Soviet republic that was also due to sign the agreement, reversed course in September when Russia lobbied intensely for it not to do so... In addition to Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia also face pro-Russian separatist movements on their soil, and officials in all three countries have expressed fears that Russia will stoke tensions even further after the E.U. deal. Russia went to war with Georgia in 2008 in the breakaway region of South Ossetia, and Russian soldiers are stationed as peacekeepers in the breakaway Moldovan region of Transnistria. The separatists in eastern Ukraine have also declared their intention to create an independent state."
