White House spokesman Jay Carney said the deal would “not address the concerns” of the thousands of protesters camped out on Independence Square.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she “regretted” Yanukovych’s snub of the Association Agreement but said that the offer “remains on the table”.
‘A victory for Putin’
Putin, in a clear message to the Kiev protesters, said Russia did not discuss Ukraine’s membership in the Moscow-led Customs Union in exchange for the announced benefits something the opposition widely expected.
“For the moment, Putin has scored a victory in the competition between Russia and Europe for Ukraine,” said analyst Maria Lipman of the Carnegie Centre in Moscow.
The ex-Soviet nation of 46 million has been at the heart of a furious diplomatic struggle since Yanukovych’s shock decision last month to ditch the landmark EU partnership accord and seek closer ties with its former master Russia.
Analysts said the deals announced by Putin should reduce Ukraine’s current account deficit by around $4.5 billion a year but do not take the urgency out of overdue economic reforms.
