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The Tribunal for Putin (T4P) global initiative was set up in response to the all-out war launched by Russia against Ukraine in February 2022.

Conflicting claims about “the Tymoshenko question”

10.09.2013   
An official report claims that Speaker Rybak did not assure an EU meeting in Vilnius that all EU requirements would be fulfilled in October, including Tymoshenko’s release and treatment abroad

According to a report on the Verkhovna Rada site, Speaker Volodymyr Rybak did not discuss the question of Tymoshenko during his meetings in Vilnius on 6 September. This came after a report on the BBC Ukrainian Service was taken up by many websites.  It asserted that Rybak had promised that all EU requirements for the signing of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement would be implemented by the end of October.  This included Tymoshenko being allowed abroad for treatment.

It may be worth noting that high-ranking EU officials have in the past expressed disappointment, bemusement or other diplomatically expressed emotions when explaining that President Yanukovych had clearly promised that the situation with selective justice would be resolved.

The BBC reported Lithuania’s President Dalya Gribauskaite as saying that the Association agreement was of benefit to both Ukraine and the EU.  It says that Ukraine unexpectedly became the main topic of discussion at the meeting, though this was not without Russia’s input.

Expressing the shared view of EU states regarding Russian pressure on Ukraine, the Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkyavichos said that such behaviour was unacceptable and that it would have an adverse effect on relations between the EU and Russia. He stressed that Ukraine had made its choice and that the EU would not allow pressure to be placed on it.

The EU announced the creation of a Security Fund for Eastern Partnership countries.  This will be the first time that the EU will be financing military, energy, economic, cybernetic and other security areas of countries which are not EU members.

The members welcomed Rybak’s visit to Vilnius.  According to the report, he stated:

“We will carry out all conditions in October, including law-based resolution of the problem of Yulia Tymoshenko’s release and treatment in Germany. The last details are presently being agreed with our European partners. Ukraine will arrive at the Vilnius Summit ready to sign the Association [Agreement]. 

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