Yulia Tymoshenko’s daughter to join Ukraine street protests
Scenes
reminiscent of the 2004 Orange Revolution erupted in Kyiv, a day
after negotiations were cancelled.
The protesters waved EU and Ukraine
flags and shouted “Ukraine is Europe” and “Yanukovich – enemy of the
country”. One group was rebuffed by riot police deployed to defend the
presidential offices in Kyiv but organisers have promised to regroup every
day until their demands are met.
Eugenia Tymoshenko, Mrs Tymoshenko’s daughter, said she would join the street
protests and claimed that the government had deliberately sabotaged the
process.
“I appeal to European leaders not to loose hope in Ukraine and not to abandon
my mother for political reasons,” she said. “Do not turn your backs on her.
The government was never sincere and over the last few days the ruling party
has sabotaged the votes that would have delivered Ukraine to Europe.”
Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, seized on the demonstrations to warn
that the “next few days” would show if Kyiv would succumb to pressure to
turn West. “We have heard threats from our European partners toward Ukraine,
up to and including promoting the holding of mass protests,” he said.
“This is pressure and this is blackmail. Whether Ukraine and the Ukrainian
leadership will give in to such blackmail will be clear only in the next few
days.”
There was dismay at Ukraine’s decision in Europe with Carl Bildt, the Swedish
foreign minister, telling Kyiv that Moscow would ultimately fail to save its
economy.
“They are not going West. I don’t think they are going East. I feel they are
going down,” he said. “That’s roughly where we are because of the economic
problems.”
Deputies of Ukrainian opposition shout “shame” after voting in the
parliament in Kyiv
Russian pressure on the heavily indebted former Soviet republic of 46 million
proved decisive ahead of a key summit with Europe next week. The EU had
stipulated the release of Mrs Tymoshenko as a benchmark for Ukraine to meet
before signing the deal.
The businesswoman was beaten by Mr Yanukovich in the 2010 presidential
election and sentenced to seven years in prison on what she claims are
politically motivated corruption charges soon afterwards.
She is in poor health and refuses to allow local doctors to conduct intrusive
therapy that would stabilise her condition.
“My mother’s condition is chronic and she will not improve while she is under
such immense psychological pressure,” her daughter said.
“Yanukovich was never sincere about allowing her to go abroad for treatment.
It is a very sad and very unnecessary situation. What is important now is
that we can secure an opening to Europe for the country. This decision has
really shocked the nation.”
Deputies of Ukrainian opposition shout “shame” after voting in the
parliament in Kyiv
Nikolai Azarov, Ukraine’s prime minister, was booed in parliament when he
declared that the decision was forced on the country because it feared
bankruptcy amid Russian pressure.
Russia threatened to cut off gas supplies to Ukraine and recall outstanding
debts to its Gazprom gas monopoly, which is owed nearly £800 million.
Beyond the immediate confrontation with Moscow, Ukraine’s currency is being
artificially propped up, its debt is rated “junk” and it faces the prospect
of losing a financial aid package from the IMF.