This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-29211344

The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
Ukraine crisis: Parliament set to ratify landmark EU deal Ukraine crisis: Parliaments to ratify landmark EU pact
(35 minutes later)
Ukraine's lawmakers are set to ratify a landmark EU association agreement - in proceedings simultaneous with a session of the European Parliament. Ukrainian MPs and the European Parliament are set to ratify a key EU association pact criticised by Russia.
Both sides will start the procedure at 10:00 GMT, in what Ukraine's president said would be a "historic" day.Both sides will start the procedure at 10:00 GMT, in what Ukraine's president said would be a "historic" day.
But the implementation of a free trade deal - part of the package - has been postponed until 2016, apparently under pressure from Russia. But negotiations with Russia last week led to the important free trade part of the pact being postponed until 2016.
This comes as a fragile ceasefire largely holds in eastern Ukraine. There has been heavy shelling around the government-held airport of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine, despite a fragile ceasefire signed on 5 September.
There were reports of shelling around the government-held airport of Donetsk and other towns. Pro-Russian rebels have been engaged in heavy fighting with government forces in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions since April - a month after Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimea peninsula.
Pro-Russian rebels have been engaged in heavy fighting with government forces in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions since April - a month after Russia annexed southern Crimea peninsula. At least 3,000 people have been killed in the conflict and more than 310,000 internally displaced in Ukraine, the UN says.
Some 3,000 people have been killed over the past five months of conflict. Russia denies sending troops and heavy weapons to help the rebels, as alleged by Ukraine and the West.
Russia denies sending troops and heavy weaponry to help the rebels, as alleged by Ukraine and the West. The wide-ranging EU-Ukraine association agreement (officially called the AA/DCFTA) would make Ukraine compliant with EU standards in the areas of human rights, security and arms control, and would remove trade barriers.
The pact has been signed, but Russia opposes the free trade provisions, saying its market could be flooded with cheap EU goods shipped via Ukraine.
So until 2016 Ukraine will maintain its existing restrictions on imports from the EU, while enjoying full access to the EU market for its own exports.
In return, Russia has pledged to maintain favourable trade rules in place for Ukraine as an ex-Soviet republic.
Yet the crisis has severely hit Russia-Ukraine trade ties, with the two neighbours imposing economic sanctions on each other.
Tit-for-tat trade bans
The BBC's Olexiy Solohubenko, a Ukraine specialist, says it is a complete misnomer to talk of any free trade between them under current conditions.
Russia derives most benefit from industrial imports from parts of eastern Ukraine now controlled by the rebels, he points out.
Russia has banned imports of Ukrainian dairy produce, potatoes, fruit juice and alcoholic drinks, as well as tinned fish. It alleges inadequate food hygiene standards, but the embargo coincides with a diplomatic breakdown between Moscow and Kiev.
Meanwhile, Ukraine has banned exports of defence-related goods to Russia and is blacklisting some 200 Russians whom it accuses of helping to destabilise Ukraine.
A further aggravation is Russia's row with Ukraine over gas supplies. Russia's state-owned gas giant Gazprom halted gas deliveries in June, demanding that Ukraine repay its debts.
In other developments on Tuesday:In other developments on Tuesday:
Analysis: Laurence Peter, BBC NewsAnalysis: Laurence Peter, BBC News
The far-reaching EU-Ukraine trade and association agreement at the root of the whole Ukraine crisis is back... but not quite.The far-reaching EU-Ukraine trade and association agreement at the root of the whole Ukraine crisis is back... but not quite.
The European Parliament and Ukrainian Rada are going ahead with ratification on Tuesday, but the key provisions on free trade will not be implemented until December next year at the earliest.The European Parliament and Ukrainian Rada are going ahead with ratification on Tuesday, but the key provisions on free trade will not be implemented until December next year at the earliest.
That delay was the main result of EU-Russia-Ukraine talks in Brussels on Friday, and it is being seen as a significant concession to Russia.That delay was the main result of EU-Russia-Ukraine talks in Brussels on Friday, and it is being seen as a significant concession to Russia.
A joint statement after the latest round of trade talks said the parties involved would use the delay to "consult on how to address concerns raised by Russia".A joint statement after the latest round of trade talks said the parties involved would use the delay to "consult on how to address concerns raised by Russia".
Can EU-Ukraine trade pact survive Russian pressure?Can EU-Ukraine trade pact survive Russian pressure?
'Speechless'
On the eve of the vote in the parliaments in Kiev and Strasbourg, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said the ratification of the association agreement would be a "historic day".On the eve of the vote in the parliaments in Kiev and Strasbourg, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said the ratification of the association agreement would be a "historic day".
Mr Poroshenko - who initialled the deal back in June - said that "de facto this is a reform programme in our country" aimed at guaranteeing "the rule of law, freedom of speech and decisive anti-corruption steps".Mr Poroshenko - who initialled the deal back in June - said that "de facto this is a reform programme in our country" aimed at guaranteeing "the rule of law, freedom of speech and decisive anti-corruption steps".
The move is seen by many as a culmination of the country's recent deadly political upheavals, bringing the former Soviet republic closer to the EU and away from Russia's sphere of influence.
In November, hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians took to the streets to protest against then President Viktor Yanukovych's abrupt decision to cancel the agreement's original planned signing.In November, hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians took to the streets to protest against then President Viktor Yanukovych's abrupt decision to cancel the agreement's original planned signing.
However, Mr Poroshenko is facing growing criticism in Ukraine for apparently caving in to pressure from Moscow and postponing the implementation of the free trade deal with the 28-member bloc. However, Mr Poroshenko is facing growing criticism in Ukraine for apparently caving in to pressure from Moscow and postponing implementation of the free trade deal with the EU.
The implementation of the deal - part of the broader agreement - had been originally set for November, but last week was delayed until the end of 2015.
Despite this, the EU said Ukraine would continue enjoying unilateral tariff-free trade with the bloc until then.
Russia has repeatedly warned that once the deal comes into effect, European exports could find their way into Russia duty-free, since Kiev has its own beneficial trade conditions with Moscow. Or less expensive European goods could force Ukrainian goods out of their own market and into Russia.
The Kremlin has also warned it would be forced to introduce protective measures, hurting Ukraine's struggling economy.
Some politicians in Ukraine reacted with dismay to the postponement.
"I am speechless," Dnipropetrovsk Region Deputy Governor Svyatoslav Oliynyk was quoted as saying by the AFP news agency.
"The last time this happened, we had EuroMaidan," he added, referring to the mass protests in November.
Are you in eastern Ukraine? Has the recent violence affected you? You can email your experiences to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.Are you in eastern Ukraine? Has the recent violence affected you? You can email your experiences to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.