The brawl came as a result of the bitter divisions within the country and its ministers over the Russian influence in this former Soviet republic under its new Moscow-friendly leadership.The newly-ratified extended agreement between the countries' presidents won 236 votes in the 450-seat parliament, overturning the previous government's position that the Russians must leave when the current lease on their Black Sea naval base in Sevastopol expires in 2017.
Cue the eggs and the fisticuffs… (video below courtesy of Wall Street Journal)
Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych and his political allies have said the overtures to Moscow, which sees Ukraine as part of its sphere of influence, are paying off and the the lease accord will give its economy billions of dollars in discounts on imported Russian gas.
"There is no alternative," Prime Minister Mykola Azarov said as parliament convened to vote on the fleet deal. "Ratification means a lower price for gas" and that will enable Ukraine's government to adopt a budget for this year. "And the budget means agreement with the International Monetary Fund, the possibility of getting investments."
