Former Soviet Bloc Nations Sign EU Agreements
BRUSSELS (Worthy News)– Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova signed sweeping trade and political agreements with the European Union, risking a widening rift with Russia who strongly opposed any deal.
“What a great day – maybe the most important day for my country after independence day,” newly elected Ukraine President Petro Poroshenko said. “It shows how dramatically things can change in a short time if the will of the people is strong enough.”
The signed agreements which aligned Ukraine with the West both economically and politically – served as a catalyst for months of protests, the exile of former Ukrainian president, and the death of scores of Ukrainians.
“Will Europe be free, or partly free?” Mr. Poroshenko said. “Will it have to worry about more war and annexation, or will it be confident in the future? These aren’t idle questions, and the answer will depend on the success or failure of documents we sign today.”
Hours before Ukraine signed the pact with the European Union, Pro-Russian separatists defied a government ceasefire and attacked Ukrainian government forces at an airport in east Ukraine.
Russia demanded talks with the EU and Ukraine before any deals were signed, and threaten Ukraine for being left out of the negotiations.
Now it appears, the three countries may face economic pressures from Moscow, which attempted to enlarge its newly formed Eurasian Union by adding the former Soviet bloc nations has been derailed.
Last month, Belarus and Kazakhstan joined Russia to form the Eurasian Union.