Ukraine signs EU association agreement
2014-06-27 11:52:19
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko on Friday signed a broad deal covering closer trade and political ties with the European Union over objections from Russia.
Deadly protests broke out this winter when the-then Ukrainian president decided not to sign the EU trade deal under pressure from Moscow.
The EU's deal with Ukraine is especially sensitive now as it comes at a time when a fragile cease-fire between the Ukrainian government and pro-Russian separatists is due to end, and as Europe's top diplomats decide whether to impose fresh economic sanctions on Russia.
Leaders from the 28-country European Union are meeting in Brussels on Friday with a number of different items on the agenda, including Ukraine, immigration and the election of a new president of the European Commission.
Georgia and Moldova also signed association agreements with the EU on Friday in a move that is opposed by Russia.
Sergei Glazyev, a senior aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin, branded Poroshenko a "Nazi" ahead of the controversial signing.
"I think after the signing of the agreement with EU, [the] European public will be... surprised when this Nazi Frankenstein, which was born by the Euro bureaucrats and some politicians, will knock on the European countries' doors," Glazyev, an economic adviser to Putin, said, speaking to the BBC.