Deal In Ukraine Between President and Opposition May End Crisis... For Now

It's a punt on the underlying issue, hoping to resolve it later.

Per Fox News' televised report, the Ukrainian president has agreed to early elections, to install, maybe, a new ruling regime.

Other concessions include an amnesty for protesters -- apparently they could have been charged for the crime of being brutalized and shot by state police -- and an end to the president's "anti-terrorism" campaign, which provided the legal pretext to use deadly force against people gathering in public squares to protest him.

Supposedly the president Yanukovych will include the opposition in the current one-party (Russia-backed) government, for whatever that may count for.

Shots rang out and tension remained high in the streets of Kiev Friday, as Ukrainian protest leaders signed a deal with Ukraine's president to defuse a political crisis that has left scores dead and hundreds injured.

The two sides signed an agreement after hours of European-led negotiations...

The Ukrainian parliament approved amnesty for protesters involved in the recent violence following the agreement Friday.

Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych gave in to pressure from European diplomats, offering concessions-- including elections-- and promising to invite the opposition into the government, in an attempt to end the violence. Yanukovych gave no time frame for new elections.

Of course everyone sees the problem immediately: Tyrants do not give up power, ever. Sure, they can agree to new elections, to solve a short-term headache; but their intent is then to fix the elections in their favor.

I don't know how that will be dealt with. I imagine it won't be. The Russians are pretty good at rigging elections by this point.

posted by Ace at 11:11 AM

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