EU, Russia, US criticize Tymoshenko sentencing

Criticism has come from all sides including the EU, Russia and US following a ruling yesterday that former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, guilty of negotiating 2009 gas contracts with Russia that the current government views as unfavorable, must serve seven years in prison. EU High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy, Vice President of the European Commission Catherine Ashton said the EU was “deeply disappointed”; Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said it the ruling was “dangerous and counterproductive” in that it called into question the 2009 gas contracts that Putin said conformed to Ukrainian, Russian and International law; and the White House issued a statement that it was “deeply disappointed” by the conviction. Brad Wells: The verdict looks to have the biggest immediate implication for ongoing talks with the European Union on an Association Agreement, which both sides have said they expect to sign at a summit in December. EU officials are now calling for a halt in talks and some have asked for planned trip by Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych next week to be cancelled. However, a sharply negative reaction from the EU should not push Ukraine closer to Russia, with criticism of the ruling even come from that quarter as well.