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                Georgia, Moldova Align With EU; Ukraine Refuses

   by VOA News

   The European Union has initialed association agreements with Georgia
   and Moldova, but has failed in its main objective of attracting Ukraine
   into the 28-nation bloc.
   The agreements were initialed Friday, during the second day of a
   two-day summit of E.U. member states in the Lithuanian capital,
   Vilnius.
   The summit was expected to mark the signing of a historic agreement to
   expand a free trade zone between the E.U. and Ukraine. However,
   Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych suspended that deal last week in
   favor of increasing ties with Russia.
   That decision has sparked mass protests in Ukraine by pro-E.U.
   demonstrators. Thousands of people have gathered in the capital, Kyiv,
   over the past week, urging Ukraine to enter into the E.U. trade
   agreement. The protests continued on Friday.
   French President Francois Hollande said Friday in Vilnius that the
   partnership offer remains open if Ukrainians decide they want it.
   E.U. leaders have accused Russia of exerting political and economic
   pressure on Ukraine to delay the signing of the political and trade
   agreement. Russia denies doing so.
   Last Sunday's protest, which saw tens of thousands of pro-Europe
   demonstrators, was one of the largest protests in Ukraine since the
   Orange Revolution nine years ago.
   Jailed Ukrainian opposition leader and former prime minister Yulia
   Tymoshenko is on a hunger strike, hoping to force the government to
   sign the trade agreement.
   Part of the E.U. pact requires legislation freeing the former prime
   minister. Tymoshenko, one of the leaders of the Orange Revolution, was
   jailed in 2011 and is serving a seven-year prison term on charges of
   abuse of office. The E.U. has called her trial politically motivated.
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   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/georgia-moldova-align-with-eu-ukraine
   -refuses/1800065.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/georgia-moldova-align-with-eu-ukraine-refuses/1800065.html