The Ukrainian Weekly 2014, No.31
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www.ukrweekly.com INSIDE: l In the press: op-eds by Poroshenko, Harper – page 3 l Focus on Chicago’s Ukrainian National Museum – page 10 l Temple U. prof’s book on Kyiv’s ‘domes and demons’ – page 11 THEPublished U by theKRAINIAN Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal W non-profit associationEEKLY Vol. LXXXII No. 31 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, AUGUST 3, 2014 $2.00 EU adopts broad Rada approves budget amendments, economic sanctions rejects resignation of PM Yatsenyuk against Russia by Zenon Zawada KYIV – Ukraine’s Parliament voted on July 31 to approve RFE/RL amendments to Ukraine’s budget and tax code, a week BRUSSELS – The European Union has agreed to after rejecting them despite warnings from the Cabinet of impose broad economic sanctions on Russia over its Ministers that they are essential for ensuring financing for alleged role in the Ukraine crisis. EU ambassadors agreed Ukraine’s army and the next round of Western loans. on the measures at a meeting in Brussels on July 29. The Verkhovna Rada also rejected the resignation letter EU President Herman Van Rompuy said in a state- submitted by Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk on July 25, ment the measures will restrict access to EU capital the day after two parliamentary factions – the Ukrainian markets for Russian state-owned banks, impose an Democratic Alliance for Reform (UDAR) and Svoboda – embargo on trade in arms, and restrict exports of declined to support the amendments and announced their dual-use goods and sensitive technologies, particular- exit from the majority coalition, which also included the ly in the field of the oil sector. Batkivshchyna party faction. Later in the day, the U.S. Treasury Department The coalition’s collapse means that President Petro Poroshenko within 30 days will declare the start of the added three banks to a list of sectoral sanctions and election campaign season, experts said. The day’s votes sanctioned one shipbuilding company in response to meant that Mr. Yatsenyuk and his Cabinet will remain in Russia’s actions in Ukraine. their posts until after early parliamentary elections are The sanctions unveiled on July 29 are the toughest held, likely in October. measures yet the European Union and the United “He demonstrated quite effective work in the position of States have taken against Russia over its alleged sup- prime minister and didn’t fear setting an ultimatum port for separatists fighting government forces in because the risk of his resignation was likely,” said eastern Ukraine. Mykhailo Basarab, a Kyiv political expert. “It will give him Andrey Kravchenko/UNIAN Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk (left) shakes hands Previously, EU leaders had been reluctant to impose points for the early parliamentary elections. After his state- broad economic sanctions on Russia, the bloc’s third- with President Petro Poroshenko at the July 31 extraor- ment, Yatsenyuk gained a platform to inform society of the dinary closed session of the Verkhovna Rada. biggest trading partner and a key energy supplier. essence of his proposals.” EU ambassadors on July 29 also added eight indi- The main idea behind Mr. Yatsenyuk’s legislative push tripling the royalty paid by Ukraine’s gas producers to viduals, including four close business associates of was to get Ukrainian citizens to foot a larger bill for the extract the resource. Russian President Vladimir Putin, and three entities to armed forces and the reconstruction of ruined infrastruc- After negotiating this week with national deputies, some a list of 87 individuals and 20 entities subject to EU ture in the Donbas region, experts said. of whom were lobbying the interests of these gas produc- sanctions over the Ukraine crisis. In particular, he targeted the biggest businessmen, who ers, the hike was lowered to 280 percent (instead of 350 spent the week lobbying to have their tax burden lightened. (Continued on page 5) For example, Mr. Yatsenyuk originally proposed more than (Continued on page 4) Congressional Ukrainian Caucus leaders introduce Ukraine Security Assistance Act WASHINGTON – Congressional Ukrainian tect Ukrainian democracy and sovereignty. Caucus co-chairs Reps. Jim Gerlach (R-Pa.), “The Ukrainian people have made clear Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio) and Sander Levin their desire to build a stronger democratic (D-Mich.) on July 24 introduced legislation self-government and establish closer ties to to delineate a clear and specific process to the European Union and the West,” Rep. provide direct military and security assis- Gerlach said. “Unfortunately, as recent tance to the government of Ukraine as it events have demonstrated, the Russian seeks to strengthen its democracy and pre- Federation will not honor Ukraine’s sover- vent separatist violence and aggression eignty and will continue to meddle within within its borders. Ukraine’s border until it has broken the H.R. 5190, the proposed Ukraine spirit of the Ukrainian people. The evidence Security Assistance Act of 2014, would released by U.S. and Ukrainian intelligence reinforce the strong relationship between authorities shows without a doubt that the U.S. and Ukraine and take an important rebel separatists and hired thugs, armed step toward helping Ukraine neutralize the with superior Russian technology and military-support advantage that pro-Rus- weapons, continue to foment havoc and sian and Russian militants are using to tar- instability. The bipartisan legislation we get civilian and military aircraft in eastern introduced today is another important step Ukraine and foster violence and instability towards reaffirming the United States’ com- across that country. mitment to helping our Ukrainian allies This legislation would authorize the develop as a fully democratic nation.” president to work with the government of Office of Congressman Jim Gerlach At a press conference announcing the introduction of the Ukraine Security Assistance Rep. Levin added: “With the overwhelm- Ukraine to assess that country’s military, Act (from left) are: Lada Pastushak, of the U.S.-Ukraine Business Council, Michael ing evidence that Russia is supplying the intelligence and security needs, and provide Sawkiw Jr. of the Ukrainian National Information Service, Rep. William Pascrell, adequate and necessary assistance to pro- Rep. Sander Levin, Rep. Jim Gerlach and Rep. Marcy Kaptur. (Continued on page 3) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, AUGUST 3, 2014 No. 31 ANALYSIS Ukraine needs a supportive international U.N.: Over 1,100 killed in Ukraine in eastern Ukraine. Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s office said that GENEVA – The United Nations said on Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko in a July 28 that more than 1,100 people have format for negotiations with Russia telephone conversation on July 29 had been killed in the Ukrainian conflict since by Vladimir Socor tating “consultations” and, potentially, full- asked him to host the talks focusing on fledged negotiations between the Ukrainian mid-April. The U.N. Office of the High securing access to the site where a Eurasia Daily Monitor Commission for Human Rights said that the government and Russia’s armed proxies in Malaysian airliner was brought down in latest figures showed the conflict has The July 17 terrorist attack that downed Ukraine’s east. A Trilateral Contact Group eastern Ukraine. The fighting in eastern claimed at least 1,129 lives, with both gov- a Malaysian Airlines plane, killing approxi- provides the framework for this activity Ukraine prevented representatives of the ernment rebel forces using heavy weapon- mately 300 passengers, occurred in an area (see accompanying article). OSCE from reaching the crash site on July 29 ry in built-up areas. It said 3,442 people held by pro-Russia fighters on the for the third successive day. Mr. Poroshenko The Contact Group is the latest of several have been wounded, while some 100,000 Ukrainian side of the Russia-Ukraine bor- also reportedly wants the talks to discuss international forums that have emerged in people have now fled the conflict zone in der. This act illustrates the magnitude of quick succession to handle the ongoing con- the release of hostages Kyiv says are being the eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk held by the pro-Russian separatists. Russian risks ensuing from Russia’s deliberate flict. Officially, these international forums for other areas of Ukraine. The agency also destruction of border controls in Ukraine’s mischaracterize the conflict as an internal Foreign Affairs Minister Sergei Lavrov said accused pro-Russian separatists of subject- on July 30 in Tajikistan’s capital, Dushanbe, east in recent months. Beyond Ukraine, the one within Ukraine, so as to avoid identify- ing the eastern Ukrainian population to “a risks affect the international system writ ing Russia as the aggressor. Outside the for- that Russia hails Belarusian officials’ readi- reign of intimidation and terror.” The report ness to host the talks. The date of the talks large. Russia’s forces (a mix of its own and mal proceedings of these forums, some gov- cited a total breakdown of law and order proxy troops) have systematically targeted ernments (notably, the United States) share remains unclear, but an aide to the and a reign of fear and terror inflicted by Ukrainian president was quoted by Interfax Ukraine’s border control system, so as to Ukraine’s view of this conflict as a Russian armed groups on the population of eastern funnel arms and fighters into Ukrainian ter- war against Ukraine. With each new forum, as saying it could happen within days. The Ukraine and documented how these armed talks are expected to involve Russia’s ambas- ritory and seize portions of that territory. however, Russia’s influence and that of groups continue to abduct, detain, torture Ukraine’s Western partners have been slow Russia-friendly governments has increased sador to Kyiv, Mikhail Zurabov, and former and execute people kept as hostages in Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma.