Yatsenyuk is the immediate political beneficiary of the Euromaidan movement that pushed the corrupt pro-Russian Ukrainian President Victor Yanokovych out of power in February 2014. The centre-right politician and former economy minister (who is known as ‘Yats’ to his friends) is said to be a Washington favourite and, unlike a number of other anti-Russian opposition politicians, is not yet tainted with personal corruption. He was named temporary prime minister until the elections that are to be held in May. For some, he is ‘coup-imposed’; for others, he is the symbolic leader of a popular revolt.
But being Euro-suave and IMF-friendly might not be enough for Yats. His commitment to ruthless Greek-style austerity to shore up Ukraine’s battered finances may mean that his current popularity is short-lived. The demonstrators that occupied Maidan Square in Kiev showed an impressive resilience and a real stubborn streak when it came to kowtowing to the wishes of politicians – even those who claimed sympathy for their cause. For Yats, it may prove difficult to stuff the spirit of revolt back into the bottle, in order to smooth the way for business-as-usual for the oligarchs – whether their first language is Russian or Ukrainian.
