Ukraine ratifies EU deal and gives troubled east autonomy

The ratification vote draws a line under the issue that last year sparked Ukraine’s crisis, which has so far killed more than 2,600 people.

Earlier in the day, the parliament in closed session approved two bills on granting greater autonomy to the rebellious regions in the east as well as amnesty for many of those involved in the fighting. The bills are part of a tenuous peace process that saw a ceasefire called on September 5 but that has been repeatedly violated.

The city council in Donetsk said three people were killed in shelling overnight and Colonel Andriy Lysenko, a spokesman for Ukraine’s national security council, said three Ukrainian servicemen were killed over the past day. Clashes continue in the area around the airport in Donetsk, the largest city under rebel control.

The legislation on autonomy falls short of the eastern rebels’ aim for complete independence, but rebel leader Alexander Zakharchenko said the rebel leadership would study the measures.

The EU association agreement was long sought by Ukrainians who want their country to turn westwards and out of Russia’s sphere of influence. After then-president Viktor Yanukovych shelved the deal last year, protests broke out that eventually spiralled into violence and led to Mr Yanukovych fleeing the country.

In the wake of that, Russia annexed Ukraine’s Crimea peninsula and a pro-Russia rebellion broke out in eastern Ukraine. Ukrainian forces in April launched a military operation to put down the rebellion,.

Just before the ratification vote, President Petro Poroshenko told the parliament that Ukrainians who died in the protests and in the eastern fighting “have died not only for their motherland. They gave up their lives for us to take a dignified place among the European family”.