VOA标准英语2013--欧盟领导人将讨论与乌克兰关系

 

EU Leaders to Discuss Bloc¹'s Relations with Ukraine 欧盟领导人将讨论与乌克兰关系

WASHINGTON — European Union leaders plan to discuss the bloc's relations with Ukraine at an EU summit Friday in Brussels. This comes after the EU announced it was  suspending talks on pacts² with Ukraine's government following President Viktor Yanukovych decision last month against signing an association agreement with the bloc. Protests have been growing in Ukraine since President Yanukovych set aside a long-anticipated trade deal with the EU in favor of closer ties with Russia.

On Thursday, thousands of demonstrators massed in Kyiv's Independence Square to denounce Yanukovych's outreach to Russia. They also criticized a $15 billion aid  package he negotiated with Moscow to help his country's struggling economy.

Yana Honbar, an anti-government protester, called the package a "bad deal.""Of course it's a bad deal. Firstly, it is just junk. The credit he has taken will not be used for people's needs. Secondly³, we still don't know all the details, all  the aspects of the deal. And thirdly, Yanukovych never took into consideration what's been happening on Maidan and is afraid of the word itself," said Honbar,  referring to Kyiv’s Maidan, the local name for the square where the protests have been centered.

At a news conference Thursday, Yanukovych defended the aid package, saying it will not affect future integration⁴ with the EU.

He also criticized the West for supporting massive street protests calling for his ouster.

"It is very important, very important, it is an internal issue for u.  And let no country interfere⁵ in our internal affairs. Let them not think they can be bosses  here, whether on the Maidan or not! I am very seriously against the fact that someone can come to our country and teach us how to live," said Yanukovych.

Earlier this week, U.S. Senator John McCain visited Kyiv and assured protesters the EU and Ukraine will both benefit from forming ties with one another. 

1 bloc   

n.集团；联盟

参考例句：

• A solid bloc of union members support the decision.工会会员团结起来支持该决定。
• There have been growing tensions within the trading bloc.贸易同盟国的关系越来越紧张。

2 pacts   

条约( pact的名词复数 )； 协定； 公约

参考例句：

• Vassals can no longer accept one-sided defensive pacts (!). 附庸国不会接受单方面的共同防御协定。
• Well, they are EU members now and have formed solidarity pacts with members such as Poland. 他们现在已经是欧盟的一部分了并且他们和欧盟成员诸如波兰等以签署了合作协议。

3 secondly   

adv.第二，其次

参考例句：

• Secondly,use your own head and present your point of view.第二，动脑筋提出自己的见解。
• Secondly it is necessary to define the applied load.其次，需要确定所作用的载荷。

4 integration   

n.一体化，联合，结合

参考例句：

• We are working to bring about closer political integration in the EU.我们正在努力实现欧盟內部更加紧密的政治一体化。
• This was the greatest event in the annals of European integration.这是欧洲统一史上最重大的事件。

5 interfere   

v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰

参考例句：

• If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话，可能弊多利少。
• When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件，棘手的事情就来了。