Ukraine’s ex-prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko Getty
Europe’s plans to bring Ukraine into a landmark trade pact appeared to have collapsed last night after Kyiv bowed to pressure from Vladimir Putin and turned back towards Russia.
Brussels admitted defeat after President Yanukovych changed his mind over the association accord that was due to be signed on November 29. The deal was meant to signal the start of a process that would lead to Ukraine eventually joining the European Union.
Mykola Azarov, the Ukrainian Prime Minister, made it clear yesterday that pressure from President Putin had for the moment trumped the economic and political benefits of a pivot