Zee Media Bureau
Kiev: Apparently emboldened by Russian bailout assistance, Ukraine President Viktor Yanukovch has expressed displeasure over foreign politicians’ encouragement of pro-EU protesters rally and warned the West not to intervene in the matters of the nation.
Speaking in a televised interview in Kiev, the President said, "I am categorically against anybody coming and teaching us how to live," he said.
"What is very important is that this is our internal matter, and that other countries do not intervene in our internal affairs."
He was apparently referring to the foreign politicians like US Republican Senator John McCain, EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, former German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle, etc, who made visits to the protest camps and buoyed up the anti-government protesters.
"We are here to support your just cause, the sovereign right of Ukraine to determine its own destiny freely and independently. And the destiny you seek lies in Europe," McCain was quoted as saying at a rally.
We ... want to make it clear to Russia and Vladimir Putin that interference in the affairs of Ukraine is not acceptable to the United States,” he added.
"To all Ukraine, America stands with you," McCain had cheered the crowd.
Yanukovch’s comments came on the same day when Russian President Vladimir Putin defended the Ukrainian bailout in his annual presser, saying that the move was completely based on goodwill and had nothing to do with the EU talks.
Putin’s act is being branded as a move towards keeping Ukraine under Russian influence and away from the EU.
However, Putin rubbished out the claims saying the move had nothing to do with the EU talks or he protests.
"In no way is this connected with the Maidan (protests in central Kiev) or the European talks with Ukraine," Putin said.
Ukraine`s President said on Thursday that his government may partially commit to a Russian economic union that has been denounced in mass protests against the government.
However, Putin’s intentions became all the more transparent when on Thursday, Yanukovych said on television that Ukraine was mulling over joining a Russian economic union and that the Cabinet is analyzing which parts of the Moscow-led customs union Ukraine should join, reports said.
Earlier, Ukrainian opposition leaders had voiced suspicion over the deal, alleging that the President Yanukovych had mortgaged Ukrainian firms in return for the deal.
