Adrian Karatnycky and Damon Wilson: How to defuse Ukraine’s crisis
Ukraine today is a dangerous and unpredictable place. The Ukrainian government's recent rejection of closer ties with the European Union surprised observers in Brussels and Washington. It also resulted in the largest demonstrations in Ukraine's recent history, an extraordinary outpouring of millions of citizens who are calling for President Viktor Yanukovych and his government to resign. Absent a compromise settlement, the protests, currently peaceful, could turn ugly.
As bleak as Ukraine's future may look given the violent police crackdown over the weekend in Kiev, the preconditions for a peaceful transition of power are solidly in place. The throngs of protesters have revealed a public that hungers for rule of law and an end to massive corruption.