EU halts talks as protests grip Ukraine

200,000 gather to insist on deal with Europe instead of aligning with Russia

KYIV The European Union suspended all negotiations with Ukraine Sunday over a historic trade pact, as 200,000 people converged on the main square in Kyiv to demand the government align itself to Europe rather than Russia.

The EU’s surprise announcement came despite the large numbers that gathered on Kyiv’s snowy streets aim- ing to put pressure on Viktor Yanukovich, the president.

Stefan Fule, the EU enlargement commissioner, said the “words and deeds of president and government” were “further and further apart.” Their arguments had “no grounds in reality.”

He added that EU officials had told Ukraine that further discussions required a “clear commitment to sign,” but that had not been forthcoming and work on a deal had been put on hold.

The Ukraine government’s opponents says that union with Russia would effectively reconstitute the Soviet Union. They remain suspicious that Yanukovich intends to agree to a customs union when he meets Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, on Tuesday.

The diplomatic tug of war and conflicting statements have failed to dampen the spirits of protesters who have been rallying daily for over three weeks.

“We are here to join the revolution,” said Lyudmila Kostyantynivna, a pensioner from the city of Cherkasy, three hours south of Kyiv.

Dancing at the front of the crowd near the sound stage while a musical act performed, she said she had been following coverage of the protests on the few television channels showing it for the past weeks, but decided to come out this weekend after encouragement from her friends, who were with her.

“It is not only for young people, but us, too,” she said. “We have a criminal for a president, and a government that takes, takes, takes, and leaves us — the people — with nothing.”

By noon, Kyiv’s Independence Square teemed with people from as far as the western Ukrainian city of Lviv and Luhansk in the east. They poured out from the metro exits and spilled on to the city’s main boulevard, Khreschatyk, chanting: “Out with the gang” and “Glory to Ukraine.” Led by opposition leaders, the crowd, waving EU and Ukrainian flags, sang the national anthem.

Igor Rudenko, a 25-year-old businessman, said he wanted the government to sign the association agreement with the EU, and not seek closer ties with Russia.

“We had a very unstable political and economic situation, made worse by not signing the association agreement,” he said. “So I am out here to demand that our country is taken into the EU.

“The EU’s influence can make our country better, more confident and more competitive in the world economy.”

His words were echoed by U.S. Sen. John McCain, who was in Kyiv to support the antigovernment protesters. “To all Ukraine, America stands with you,” he called out to the crowd in Independence Square. “The free world is with you. America is with you. I am with you. Ukraine will make Europe better, and Europe will make Ukraine better.”