14 April 2016: Ukraine's president Petro Poroshenko, right, and prime minister Vladimir Groysman celebrate after Groysman was appointed prime minister. (c) Efrem Lukatsky / AP / Press Association Images. All rights reserved.Ukraine’s ruling elites may have solved the political crisis, but this solution was followed by outright disrespect to Ukraine’s constitution, laws and procedures.
Kyiv’s ruling group has consolidated itself as a result. But the logic of this consolidation is closer to dictatorial than democratic. And it is time for Ukraine’s new leaders to pay the price.
The betrayal in Munich
On 9 June, the French senate struck a painful "blow” to Ukraine. The senate passed a resolution on the gradual easing of sanctions against Russia. France’s socialist government may yet refuse the senate’s proposal, but Pavlo Klimkin, head of Ukraine’s ministry of foreign affairs, has already called this development "dangerous", hinting at the existence of French politicians who "are being nurtured” by the Kremlin.
