Epstein Secrets

lution as the latest form of American interventionism, and began a process of restricting Russian NGOs that was to reach a climax a decade later. Yanukovych eventually won the presidency in a 2010 comeback. but a second protest-driven revolution www.freedomhouse.org 23 EFTA00804747 BREAKING DOWN DEM

religious harmony, boast of government policies to ensure fair treatment for Russia's large Muslim population, and denounce those who brought down Yanukovych's government in Ukraine as fascists and pogromists. Yet when it comes to potential allies in Europe, it makes no difference to the Kremlin whether

ine also zeroed in on Ukraine's sup- posed lack of respect for minority rights, a problem that Moscow had not raised during the administra- tions of Viktor Yanukovych or Leonid Kuchma. Neither Ukrainians nor informed observers in the outside world believed that Ukraine was faced with a civil war. This was entire

republic. Russia, for its part, reproached the EU for putting pressure on Ukraine. The EU is now under criticism for mishandling negotiations with Yanukovych, who had previously rejected European terms for closer association. So why Ukraine's last-minute reversal on the EU deal? In retrospect, Yanukovyc

how about 45 percent of Ukrainians supporting closer integration with the EU, and a third or less favoring closer ties with Russia. EFTA00636722 Yanukovych, a wily politician, is hoping to win reelection in 2015 and must balance several constituencies. He was elected in part based on his promise to imp

tens of thousands rallied in Kiev's central square for weeks to protest a flawed election. Protests have been held daily since Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych backed away last week from an agreement that would have established free trade and deepened political cooperation between Ukraine and the EU in fa

o the verge of military confrontation. The pro-Russia region of Crimea is seething, and the new central government that took over in Kiev after Mr. Yanukovych fled is barely functioning. President Obama, speaking at the White House, was right to warn Russia against any military move and to indicate that

en it put 150,000 troops on high alert on Wednesday for war games near Ukraine's border and then on Friday allowed the deposed Ukrainian president, Viktor Yanukovych, to give a news conference when he showed up in the Russian city Rostov-on-Don. The situation has now gone from chaos to the verge of military con

ers in the the East to spearhead such a move. The opening moves of this scenario may already be playing out, given the rising tension in Crimea and Yanukovych's flight. It is anybody's guess what the endgame might look like. Having watched and analysed the U.S. stance vis-à-vis Iran's alleged nuclear-weap

planned "Eurasian Union" as the core of a new Russian mini-empire. Turns out, however, Ukraine had other ideas. It overthrew Moscow's man in Kiev, Viktor Yanukovych, and turned to the West. But the West — the E.U. and America — had no idea what to do. Russia does. Moscow denounces the overthrow as the illegal w