Bildt: Yanukovych is drifting – east or down, I don’t know

   Earlier photo

Swiss Foreign Minister, Carl Bildt spoke with journalists in Vilnius about Ukraine, President Yanukovych’s moves and about EuroMaidan.  Yanukovych had lost the chance for EU support, he said, and was simply drifting, but in which direction, whether to the east or down, he didn’t know.

(The following is an account of what he said since the English original cannot be heard over the interpreter)

Bildt went on to say that he had never been fully convinced that Yanukovych would be ready to go all the way.  He is in a very difficult situation since the Ukrainian economy is in a terrible state and the country needs money.

A journalist from the public broadcasting initiative Hromadskie.tv asked how the views of Ukrainians who had declared their support (for European integration) could affect the further development of events, the EU’s course with respect to Ukraine.

Bildt said that they saw the huge support and that this was cheering, however there is a majority in the Verkhovna Rada and president who have other views.  Of course public opinion means a lot.  He added that this is not the end of the story and there will be tomorrow and the next day.  All that they see in Ukraine has a serious impact.

Asked what could now happen during what Yanukovych has called a pause, Bildt said that this was a good question.  President Yanukovych has put his country in a position where it’s extremely easy to put pressure on it. He has lost the possibility of support from the European Union. He is simply drifting, but in what direction he’ll drift – to the east or down, I don’t know.

From a report here http://hromadske.tv/episode/82/