Agreement on settlement of political crisis in Ukraine

Yanukovych and opposition leaders signing the agreement

The Agreement on the Settlement of the Political Crisis in Ukraine was an agreement to reduce bloodshed at Euromaidan demonstrations in Kyiv, which had become significantly more violent during the Revolution of Dignity and resulted in the deaths of over 100 people. The agreement also aimed to end the political crisis caused by Euromaidan, which began in November 2013 in response to Ukrainian authorities' decision to suspend the process of signing an association agreement with the European Union. It was signed on 21 February 2014 by the then-President of Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovych, and the leaders of Ukraine's parliamentary opposition through the mediation of the European Union and Russia.

The opposition was represented by Vitali Klitschko (Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reform), Arseniy Yatsenyuk (All-Ukrainian Union "Fatherland") and Oleh Tyahnybok (Svoboda). The signing was formally witnessed by the Foreign Ministers of Germany and Poland, Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Radosław Sikorski, and the head of the Department for Continental Europe of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Eric Fournier. Vladimir Lukin, the Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation, participated in the discussions but declined to sign the agreement.[1]

The agreement called for a return to the 2004 Constitution, i.e., a parliamentary-presidential style of government, early presidential elections by the end of 2014, and a "government of national trust". It also called for the removal of security troops from downtown Kyiv, a cease of violence, and the surrender of opposition arms.[2]

Although nearly all sides, except Russia, signed the agreement, it was not implemented. Protests continued after its signing, and Yanukovych eventually fled to Russia. With the Euromaidan protesters emerging victorious, an arrest warrant was issued for Yanukovych, who effectively became a fugitive.[3]

  1. ^ "Лукин объяснил, почему Москва не подписала антикризисное соглашение". NewsRU.com (in Russian). 4 March 2016. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  2. ^ Yanukovych announced early presidential elections in Ukraine www.bbc.co.uk
  3. ^ "A 5-Minute Guide to Understanding Ukraine's Euromaidan Protests". www.opensocietyfoundations.org. Retrieved 2 February 2023.

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