A much smaller rally of government supporters, about 15,000, was taking place about a kilometer away from Independence Square – familiarly called Maidan – where anti-government protesters have set up an extensive tent camp and erected barricades of snow hardened with freezing water and studded with scrap wood and other junk.
Protests began Nov. 21 after President Viktor Yanukovych announced he was backing away from signing a long-awaited agreement for Ukraine to deepen trade and political ties with the European Union and instead would focus on ties with Russia. The protests grew in size and intensity after two violent police dispersals of demonstrators.
In the face of the growing protests, which present a serious challenge to Yanukovych’s leadership, Ukrainian officials this week renewed talks with the EU about signing the association agreement. Deputy Prime Minister Serhiy Arbuzov said Thursday that Ukraine would sign soon, once some issues were worked out.
However, the EU’s top official on expansion issues, Stefan Fuele, cast doubt on the prospects on Sunday. Fuele said on his Twitter account that work on the agreement is “on hold” and that the words and actions of Yanukovych and his government regarding the agreement are “further and further apart.”