Pro-European Union activists are trained to resist police inside their tent camp at Independence Square in Kiev, Ukraine, Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2013. Ukraine was thrown into crisis last month when President Viktor Yanukovych suddenly backed away from a long-awaited political and economic agreement with the European Union, deciding to focus instead on restoring trade ties with Russia. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)
December 12, 2013 - 12:46 AM
BRUSSELS - European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton has said that Ukraine President Viktor Yanukovych "intends to sign" the far-reaching trade and co-operation agreement with the EU that he rejected only last month.
Ashton said Thursday that after talks with Yanukovych in Kyiv it was clear that the short-term economic and financial issues Ukraine faces can be alleviated by signing the association agreement, which will bring in fresh investment from EU nations.
Ashton said that "look, Yanukovych made it clear to me that he intends to sign the association agreement."
Signing would be an about-face for Yanukovych since his rejection to close the deal last month made it clear he sought closer links with Russia instead. Mass protests in Kyiv since have been calling for closer links with the EU.
News from © The Associated Press, 2013