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| Thousands attend pro-EU protest in Ukraine | Thousands attend pro-EU protest in Ukraine |
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| Thousands of people have gathered in the Ukrainian capital, Kiev, intensifying pressure on the government after it refused to sign a deal on closer ties with the European Union. | Thousands of people have gathered in the Ukrainian capital, Kiev, intensifying pressure on the government after it refused to sign a deal on closer ties with the European Union. |
| The protests - now in their third week - come a day after talks between President Viktor Yanukovych and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. | The protests - now in their third week - come a day after talks between President Viktor Yanukovych and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. |
| Mr Yanukovych has said he shelved the EU deal after Russian opposition. | Mr Yanukovych has said he shelved the EU deal after Russian opposition. |
| Mr Putin has been urging Ukraine to join a Russian customs union. | Mr Putin has been urging Ukraine to join a Russian customs union. |
| Both sides denied that the issue of Kiev joining the customs union with Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan came up during the Putin-Yanukovych meeting in Sochi, in southern Russia. | Both sides denied that the issue of Kiev joining the customs union with Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan came up during the Putin-Yanukovych meeting in Sochi, in southern Russia. |
| Correspondents had earlier speculated that an agreement on Ukraine joining the customs union might be reached in return for reduced energy prices. | Correspondents had earlier speculated that an agreement on Ukraine joining the customs union might be reached in return for reduced energy prices. |
| The two neighbours have also been trying to resolve a long-running dispute over energy supplies. | The two neighbours have also been trying to resolve a long-running dispute over energy supplies. |
| Ukraine depends on imports of Russian gas, but the supplier, Gazprom, has recently complained that Kiev had fallen behind in payments. | Ukraine depends on imports of Russian gas, but the supplier, Gazprom, has recently complained that Kiev had fallen behind in payments. |
| Disputes over supplies to Ukraine before 2009 saw Gazprom temporarily cutting off supplies. | Disputes over supplies to Ukraine before 2009 saw Gazprom temporarily cutting off supplies. |
| Pipelines passing through Ukraine also pump Russian gas to many EU member states. | Pipelines passing through Ukraine also pump Russian gas to many EU member states. |
| Three conditions | Three conditions |
| "Any signature to a deal on forming a new Soviet Union means the breakup of the country," said Arseniy Yatsenyuk, a prominent opposition member. | "Any signature to a deal on forming a new Soviet Union means the breakup of the country," said Arseniy Yatsenyuk, a prominent opposition member. |
| Ukrainian opposition leaders say close to half a million people are on the streets of Kiev - police say far fewer are attending. | Ukrainian opposition leaders say close to half a million people are on the streets of Kiev - police say far fewer are attending. |
| Waving EU and Ukrainian flags, they have congregated on Kiev's Independence Square - the scene of previous clashes with police. | Waving EU and Ukrainian flags, they have congregated on Kiev's Independence Square - the scene of previous clashes with police. |
| Ukraine's special police, Berkut, has been widely condemned for beating protesters in the square - known as Maidan. | Ukraine's special police, Berkut, has been widely condemned for beating protesters in the square - known as Maidan. |
| The opposition party of jailed former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko has urged people to "chase" the president "until he falls". | The opposition party of jailed former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko has urged people to "chase" the president "until he falls". |
| "If Yanukovych stays in power, we will end up like Belarus," Reuters news agency quotes a student, Sasha Trojan, as saying. Mr Trojan had come to Kiev from Poltava, about 300km (200 miles) away. | "If Yanukovych stays in power, we will end up like Belarus," Reuters news agency quotes a student, Sasha Trojan, as saying. Mr Trojan had come to Kiev from Poltava, about 300km (200 miles) away. |
| The protests are the largest since the pro-democracy Orange Revolution in 2004. | The protests are the largest since the pro-democracy Orange Revolution in 2004. |
| Protest leaders have set out three conditions for any negotiations with President Yanukovych: the resignation of his government, the release of protesters arrested during clashes in Kiev and the punishment of those responsible for beating demonstrators. | Protest leaders have set out three conditions for any negotiations with President Yanukovych: the resignation of his government, the release of protesters arrested during clashes in Kiev and the punishment of those responsible for beating demonstrators. |
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