What is the EU doing to help Ukraine?

The EU has an unprecedented political mandate for driving reform forward and is the biggest donor to Ukraine, having provided almost €11 billion during 2014–17. Flowers are placed on a memorial for Ukrainians killed in the conflict with Russia and pro-Russian separatists.

What are Russia’s concerns over Ukraine?

Among Russia’s top concerns is the welfare of the approximately eight million ethnic Russians living in Ukraine, according to a 2001 census, mostly in the south and east. Moscow claimed a duty to protect these people as a pretext for its actions in Ukraine.

What caused the Euromaidan protests in Ukraine?

(5) The Euromaidan protest in late 2013 was triggered by the Ukrainian government’s suspension of plans for closer integration with the EU. Ukrainian citizens believed the deal with the EU could speed up modernization and help fight corruption.

What is the conflict in Ukraine really about?

Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP/Getty The conflict in Ukraine is viewed by some as part of a renewed geopolitical rivalry between western powers and Russia. A former Soviet republic, Ukraine has deep cultural, economic, and political bonds with Russia.

What are the main problems in Ukraine?

The eastern parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts, especially the non-government-controlled areas, due to armed conflict. Crime targeting foreigners and property is common. Demonstrations, which have turned violent at times, regularly occur throughout Ukraine, including in Kyiv.

What’s happening in Ukraine’s Debaltseve?

The fiercest fighting is near the town of Debaltseve, where the rebels are trying to surround Ukrainian troops. The town is a crucial rail hub linking Donetsk and Luhansk. As clashes continue there is a renewed diplomatic push to end the fighting. Meanwhile, a truce allows civilians to leave Debaltseve.

What has happened in Ukraine since 2014?

The victory of the Euromaidan protest in 2014 met with a hostile response from Russia and it has since wrested control of the Crimean peninsula and the eastern part of the Donbas from Kyiv. The Minsk Protocols, signed in 2014–2015, have not delivered a credible ceasefire and a low intensity war has ensued.