Ukrainian lawmakers sing a national anthem during the opening of a Ukrainian parliament session in Kiev, Ukraine, Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2008. Ukrainian lawmakers on Tuesday split over Russia's invasion of Georgia, amid fears that this strategically located ex-Soviet republic might be the Kremlin's next target. (AP Photo/Sergei Chuzavkov) Ukraine Government Near Collapse -- The New York Times
MOSCOW — The Western-leaning governing coalition in Ukraine, which took power during the Orange Revolution in 2004 but has endured repeated tumult ever since, appeared once again near collapse on Wednesday.
The president of Ukraine, Viktor A. Yushchenko, asserted that he was the victim of a “political and constitutional coup” carried out by his ally, Prime Minister Yulia V. Tymoshenko, and threatened to call for early parliamentary elections. She blamed him, saying he was seeking ways to rebuild his flagging popular support.
The instability erupted on the eve of a visit to Ukraine by Vice President Dick Cheney, who arrived in the region to show his support for American allies in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Georgia last month.
Mr. Yushchenko criticized Ms. Tymoshenko after her party joined forces with the leading opposition bloc, the Party of Regions, in Parliament to approve legislation that would curtail the president’s powers.
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More News On Ukraine
Political crisis in Ukraine continues -- The Age
Fears for Ukraine as pro-west coalition fails -- Financial Times
Ukrainian coalition collapses amid tensions over Moscow -- The Guardian
Pro-Western coalition crumbles as president warns of political coup -- Kyiv Post
Feud threatens Ukraine coalition -- International Herald Tribune
Ukraine PM asks president's party to return to coalition -- Yahoo News/AFP
Ukraine's tenuous double act -- BBC
Georgian War and Coalition Collapse Threaten Ukraine's EU Ties -- Deutsche-Welle
My Comment: And I was suppose to be visiting my relatives in the Ukraine this month. This crisis has been brewing for a very long time. The perception .... which is probably true .... is that this dispute has more to do with personality and egos than with policy. However, the consequences for this "crisis" will have profound consequences within Ukraine and with its neighbors. Europeans hate instability, and this will threaten its close ties with them. Russia will perceive this as a point of weakness, and will exploit it further by stirring up Russian sentiment within the country.
Elections will probably be the result of this constitutional disagreement, a bad time to have them when one looks at the instability that the Georgian Russian war has had in the entire region.