How the European Union Can Save Ukraine
The EU must give the Ukrainian people hope of future membership
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Twice in his career, Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has faced crowds in the hundreds of thousands calling for him to step aside. The first time was in 2004 when he attempted to steal the presidential elections. The second came after he decided on Nov. 21 not to sign a trade agreement with the European Union.
As a cause of popular unrest, “not signing a trade agreement” doesn’t quite rank with “stealing an election.” That Ukrainians protested both is an indication not only of their desperation but also of the enduring value of the EU to those outside of it, despite its diminished reputation since the onset of the financial crisis.