The Stream

Ukraine’s east-west divide

Are President Yanukovych’s concessions enough to end weeks of protests?

Anti-Yanukovych protesters defend their barricades in front of anti-riot police on Independence Square in Kiev, early on December 11, 2013. (AFP/VIKTOR DRACHEV)

Ukraine’s president has conceded to a key demand by protesters: amnesty for those detained at Independence Square. He says he’s also considering sacking some members of his government. Will this be enough to ease widespread anger and weeks of protest over his refusal to sign a proposed trade pact with the EU in favour of closer ties with Russia? Find out from Ukrainians at 19:30 GMT.

In this episode of The Stream, we speak with: 
 
Andriy Shevchenko @ashevch
Member of Parliament, Batkivshchyna Party
 
Mustafa Nayyem @mefimus
Journalist, Hromadske.TV
 
Maksym Savanevsky 
Founder of online magazine Watcher
 
Olga Onuch 
Newton Fellow in Comparative Politics, University of Oxford
 
Alisa Ruban @AlisaRuban
International Secretary for the Democratic Alliance
 
What do you think? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.