Ukraine: Negotiations Reached to End Crisis

After another day of violence in Ukraine, a deal was reached Friday between protesters and the presidential office, Bloomberg Businessweek reports.

Germany’s Foreign Ministry tweeted Friday afternoon that the Maidan council, which has been leading the protest movement, “has decided that opposition leaders can sign the agreement.” It is unclear if the protestors put any conditions on the deal. President Viktor Yanukovych announced early elections and promised to invite the opposition into the government.

Last November, Yanukovych refused to sign an association agreement with the European Union and was leaning toward a customs agreement with Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan. Pro-Western activists saw this as a symbolic turn away from Europe and toward Moscow— the latter having subjugated Ukraine for generations—and took to the streets in early December.

Wednesday marked a day of national mourning in the Ukraine after 25 people were killed in a bloody clash between protestors and the government.

According to the Washington Post, details of the deal were to be made public at noon, but both the French and Polish foreign ministries cautioned that the contents were still in flux.

“…[T]he proposed deal envisions an immediate return to the constitution of 2004, the formation of a coalition government within 10 days, a referendum on a new constitution in September and new elections in December,” the Post’s William Englund reported. “The last point is the most likely to cause trouble. The protesters want Yanukovych out of office immediately and have sworn they will not leave the Maidan, the protest epicenter also known as Independence Square, until he leaves the presidency.”

Publication Date: February 21, 2014.