Financial Times

By Roman Olearchyk in Kiev

Published: April 27 2010
 

Ukrainian MPs scuffle in a chamber of parliament in a failed bid to block an agreement allowing the Russian navy to extend its lease at Ukraine's Sevastopol port until 2042 in return for cheap natural gas supplies from Russia

The parliament in Kiev on Tuesday ratified a controversial agreement that will prolong the stay of Russia's Black Sea Fleet at a Ukrainian port in return for lower natural gas prices.

The far-reaching agreement was adopted by a majority of lawmakers despite fierce clashes and attempts by the opposition to block it by hurling eggs and smoke bombs in the legislature.

Ukraine's opposition has attacked the agreement brokered last Wednesday between Viktor Yanukovich, their pro-Moscow president, and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev, fearing it could bring their country back under Russia's grip.

It worries the deal poses a threat to democracy and risks blocking Ukraine's western integration efforts, including its goal of joining the European Union.

But despite noisy clashes between rival political factions, the agreement was ratified by 236 lawmakers backing Mr Yanukovich in the 450-seat legislature. Russia's Dumas was also set on Tuesday to ratify the agreement.

Thousands of peaceful protesters encircled Kiev's parliament to join opposition lawmakers in condemning the trade-off as "unconstitutional", treason and a threat to independence.

Addressing protesters after the vote, Yulia Tymoshenko, the opposition leader and former premier, described the events as a "black page in the history of Ukraine". She called for opposition groups to unite and to force snap parliamentary elections.

The issue of relations with Russia deeply divides Ukraine, a country of 46m, which broke away from its Russian master just under 20 years ago after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

"With this agreement, Russia's influence is rising sharply," said Olexiy Haran, a Kiev-based professor of political science. "I also find these and other recent moves by Mr Yanukovich are very dangerous signs and setbacks for democratic gains made by the 2004 Orange Revolution."

Prolonging the stay of Russia's fleet in the Crimean peninsula's Sevastopol port until 2042 is seen as major geopolitical victory for Russia in the region. It could put off Ukraine's chances of joining the Nato military alliance, while preserving Moscow's influence in the Black Sea region. Russia used its Sevastopol-based fleet in 2008 during its brief war with Georgia.

The messy scenes coming out of Ukraine's parliament followed a midnight stopover in Kiev by Vladimir Putin, Russia's prime minister, who defended the agreement, insisting his country had made major concessions. He also made an unexpected offer of integration by proposing that both countries should merge their vast nuclear power and aviation industries.

Speaking late on Monday, Mr Putin said: "We have big plans to double [nuclear] generation in the next 10 years. We could together work on other markets."

The offer was seen by the Ukraine opposition as another attempt by Moscow to bring Kiev under its wing. The fear is that such moves could jeopardise democratic gains made since the 2004 Orange Revolution, in which Mr Yanukovich's fraud-marred presidential victory was reversed. They claim the president has repeatedly violated the constitution in his effort to monopolise power.

"We see that the country is heading towards Russia's model of authoritarianism and controlled democracy," said Mr Haran. He accused the president of forming an "unconstitutional" coalition earlier this year and said there were also signs that media freedoms were coming under threat.

Mr Yanukovich rejects such charges, insisting his policies are aimed at stabilising Ukraine and pulling the country out of a deep economic recession that saw gross domestic product plunge by 15 per cent last year.

After the Black Sea Fleet agreement was ratified, the president's allies in parliament swiftly adopted a 2010 budget. The move paves the way for renewing talks for fresh aid from the International Monetary Fund, which froze a $16.5bn aid package last year amid political bickering and lacklustre reforms.

But experts said that Mr Yanukovich's strong push for closer ties with Russia could trigger a new wave of stand-offs that could further destabilise the country's political situation.