Yanukovych's decision to postpone the signing of the agreement with the EU: a poliheuristic analysis

Abstract

President Yanukovych's decision to postpone the signing of the Association Agreement and the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement with the European Union triggered a strong reaction in Ukrainian society. One of the consequences of the crisis that ensued was the removal of the president himself. What prompted Yanukovych to postpone the signing of the agreement with the European Union? In seeking the answer to this guiding question, poliheuristic theory was used, in the light of which this decision process was analysed in two stages. The first stage identified that the option not to be selected was the signature of the agreement with the EU, and the threats that internally led to this decision were analysed. Yanukovych felt that his survival in power was not at issue and sought to solve Ukraine's immediate financial problem by highlighting the problems that industrialists in the south-east of the country were experiencing with Russian trade blockades and avoiding essential structural reforms in the country. Although the decision was already identified, we analysed how it maximized the advantages and minimized the disadvantages, which corresponded to the second stage of the analysis. Dismissing the civic and political mobilization of the Ukrainians, believing he could have talks with the European Union and Russia concomitantly and valuing the immediate financing needs, answers the question initially posed, that is, what prompted Yanukovych to postpone the signing of the agreement.