To people in England the EU seems like a given, it’s just something we’re used to and don’t feel the benefit of. But for countries who are newer, poorer or just recently out of the pockets of the Soviet Union the EU is a big deal.
I spoke to some Estonians in their capital, Tallinn, recently. They asked me what I thought of the EU (which they joined less than a decade ago) and they looked dumbfounded when I had no clear feelings either way. To them it was a life line, and countries like Ukraine know how important a trade alliance with the EU could be for their personal pockets.
The deal would have seen Ukrainian citizens allowed to travel through the EU without visas; Ukraine’s U-turn and handshake with Russia is a nod back to the bad old days. The bad old days that the protestors are not willing to return to.
Ukraine’s leaders are frightened of Russia’s retribution and it appears the leadership have chickened out…
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