Ukraine has abruptly ditched its plans to sign a historic pact with the European Union aimed at shifting the country out of the Kremlin's orbit.
The decision handed victory to President Vladimir Putin in the increasingly vicious tug of war between Russia and the west for Ukraine’s future, and looked like turning a special EU summit next week focused on Ukraine into a debacle.
President Viktor Yanukovych ordered the suspension of preparations for the pact between Kiev and Brussels after talks between the Russian and Ukrainian prime ministers – and after Yanukovych’s party in parliament rejected six bills aimed at meeting the EU’s terms.
The sudden switch by Yanukovych following weeks of brinkmanship left European policy towards the post-Soviet states to its east in tatters.
