Red Rag To A Russian Bull

It is part of a package of measures , as the E.U. sees it , to support Ukraine and it's interim government

Other measures include development assistance , a loan of 1.6 bn €'s ( £1.3 bn $ 2.2 bn ) to help it pay off some of it's debts as well as supporting economic reforms , the temporary removal of customs duties on Ukrainain exports to the E.U. , and a program to lessen Ukraine's energy dependance on Russia

Many in Ukraine will welcome such measures , the protests in Kiev and elsewhere focused on the need to reform to the public sector , particularly the rule of law and order and tackling corruption

The E.U.'s increasing involvment in Ukraine however , will be a red flag to a Russian bull , it will be perceived as more interferance from Brussels in a soverign nation

This has become about whether Ukraine has a soverign right to make it's own decisions" one senior diplomatic source in Brussels said recently

The package of measures form one plank of E.U. policy on the Ukraine question , encouraging a pro European government in Kiev to continue along the path on which it has set itself