On November 21, 2013 (October 19, 2013 in the lunar calendar), the Ukrainian crisis. The Ukrainian crisis was caused by the suspension of political and free trade agreements between Ukrainian pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych and the European Union at the end of 2013, in order to strengthen relations with Russia. On November 22, 2013, Ukrainian pro-Europeans held an anti-government demonstration in Kiev. Protesters demanded that the government and the European Union sign an agreement, Yanukovych step down, and hold early elections. On February 22, 2014, Yanukovych was removed from his presidency by the parliament and announced an early presidential election on May 25 of the same year. On March 11, the Crimean Parliament adopted the Crimean Declaration of Independence. On April 7, pro-Russian Donetsk in Ukraine announced that it would "vote for independence and join Russia". On April 30, Turchynov announced that the Ukrainian armed forces had entered a state of full combat readiness and decided to recruit troops. On May 12, the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in eastern Ukraine announced the establishment of independent "sovereign states". On May 25, Ukraine held presidential elections. On the 27th, the Ukrainian government said it had recaptured Donetsk Airport. Crisis Background On November 21, 2013, the Ukrainian government decided to suspend preparations for signing an association agreement with the European Union, and said it would strengthen economic and trade relations with Russia and other CIS countries. Ukraine's social and political crisis has since broken out. On November 22, 2013, about 3,000 people gathered in Independence Square in central Kiev in the rain, waving European Union flags and some signs to protest the government's abandonment of the association agreement with the European Union. After years of negotiations, the agreement allows Ukraine to join the European Union as the main body, including Norway and other non-euro countries. It is a milestone in the process of Ukraine's application to join the European Union. The two sides initialed the agreement, which was originally scheduled to be officially signed on the occasion of the European Union summit in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania on the 29th. The European Union had previously made Ukraine's release of former Prime Minister Tymoshenko one of the conditions for signing the association agreement. However, the Ukrainian parliament voted again on the 21st to reject a proposal to allow Tymoshenko to go to Germany for medical treatment. The pro-Western politician, who came to power in the "Orange Revolution" and was imprisoned for abuse of power, issued a statement through his lawyer on the 22nd, calling on people to take to the streets to protest the government's sudden change of position on the accession issue. Ukrainian Prime Minister Azarov on the 22nd defended the government's abandonment of the association agreement on the 22nd: This is "a difficult decision, but in view of the current domestic economic situation, this is the only feasible way". The government is currently in a tight financial situation. It has to pay more than 17 billion US dollars to Russia for natural gas and repay 3.70 billion US dollars to the international monetary fund and other parties. When Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych on March 9, he made it clear that if Ukraine signed the association agreement, it would "immediately lose a lot and Russia will restrict the import of Ukrainian goods"; on the contrary, if Ukraine joined the Russian-led customs union, it would "immediately gain benefits, including gas price concessions." According to data released by Ukraine's "Concordia Capital" investment company, in the first nine months of 2013, Ukraine exported $14.60 billion to the European Union and $21.10 billion to Russia. Since the beginning of 2013, the trade volume between Ukraine and Russia has been greatly reduced, and the Ukrainian economy has been hit hard. Azarov said that Ukraine cannot afford to lose trade with Russia. Ukraine suspends signing of agreement with the European Union On November 21, 2013, the Ukrainian government decided to suspend preparations for signing an association agreement with the European Union, and said it would strengthen economic and trade relations with Russia and other CIS countries. Ukraine's social and political crisis has since erupted. Protests broke out in the capital Kiev. Thousands of Ukrainians rallied in Independence Square and other places in the center of Kiev to protest the government's suspension of signing an association agreement with the European Union and demanded that President Yanukovych step down. Ukrainian special forces of the Ministry of Internal Affairs dispersed rallies in Independence Square from the night of the 29th to the early morning of the 30th, leaving dozens injured. Ukrainian authorities and opposition meeting Ukrainian authorities and opposition held a "round table" in the capital Kiev to find a way out of the political crisis. Prime Minister Azarov resigns January 28, 2014 Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych accepted Prime Minister Azarov's resignation earlier in the day and signed a presidential decree on the prime minister's resignation and the dissolution of the government on the same day. Yanukovych signs "amnesty law" Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada (parliament) passed the amnesty bill proposed by lawmakers of the ruling Party of Regions on January 29. The move was seen as another concession to the opposition and its supporters to ease the situation in the country following the prime minister's resignation and the dissolution of the government. Yanukovych signed the bill on January 31. Demonstrations in Kiev sparked violence Thousands of demonstrators demonstrated in Kiev, demanding that the parliament restore the 2004 constitution. Subsequent to this, demonstrators clashed violently with riot police and members of the internal security forces to maintain order, causing hundreds of casualties, including many military police and journalists. "Truce" between the authorities and the opposition Yanukovych and opposition leaders agreed on a temporary "truce" and the start of negotiations. Yanukovych also ordered the replacement of the Ukrainian military leadership on the same day. On the same day, the Ukrainian Security Service decided to carry out anti-terrorism operations throughout Ukraine. Yanukovych was sacked. The Ukrainian parliament passed a series of resolutions such as the release of former Prime Minister Tymoshenko and the removal of Yanukovych as president. On the 23rd, it announced the appointment of Speaker Turchynov as acting president, and will hold early presidential elections on May 25. Crimea Belonging Referendum The counting of all the votes cast in the referendum shows that 96.6% of voters are in favor of Crimea joining Russia, and only 2.51% are opposed to joining Russia. Russia agreed to Crimea's accession to the Russian Federation. Donetsk Region Crisis On April 7, 2014, pro-Russian separatists occupied the government building in Donetsk and declared the establishment of the "Donetsk People's Republic". Demands the introduction of peacekeeping troops from Russia and plans to hold a referendum on joining the Russian Federation by May 11. Donetsk and Luhansk Referendum The results of the referendum in Donetsk and Luhansk regions in eastern Ukraine were released, with 89% and 96% of the votes in favor of independence, respectively. Subsequently, the two regions declared the establishment of independent "sovereign states". Ukraine holds presidential election Ukraine held a presidential election on the 25th. This is the most important election in Ukraine's 23 years of independence. On the 26th, the Ukrainian Election Commission announced the results of the general election, Poroshenko won the election and became the new president of Ukraine. 7.17 Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 crashed in an area controlled by civilian armed forces in eastern Ukraine, killing all 297 people on board. The government and civilian armed forces accused each other of shooting down the plane. Ukraine accuses Russia of invasion. The Ukrainian government said that the civilian armed forces occupied the border town of Novo Azovsk, accusing Russia of direct invasion. NATO said that the number of Russian troops entering Ukraine exceeded 1,000, and said that a large number of heavy weapons entered Ukraine, which Russia denied. The two parties to the conflict in Ukraine signed a ceasefire agreement. The Tripartite International Contact Group on Ukraine (Ukraine, OSCE, Russia) and representatives of civil armed forces in eastern Ukraine signed a memorandum of ceasefire starting in the evening in Minsk, the capital of Belarus.