Ukraine PM accused of ‘high treason’ over Georgia

Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko’s office on Monday (18 August) accused Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, his ‘Orange Revolution’ ally, of betraying the national interest by failing to back Georgia in its conflict with Russia.

Yushchenko’s camp accused Tymoshenko of remaining silent to secure Moscow’s support during presidential elections in 2010. 

“The actions of the current prime minister show signs of high treason and political corruption,” said Andriy Kyslynskyi, the president’s deputy chief of staff. “Russia’s leaders are seriously considering supporting Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko in the presidential campaign once she […] fulfils the condition of adopting a passive position in the conflict with Georgia,” Kyslynsky also said, according to the presidential website. 

The president’s office was handing prosecutors documents about Tymoshenko’s “fully fledged work in the interests of the Russian side,” the statement added. 

Ukraine faces a presidential election in 2010, with Yushchenko considered vulnerable to a challenge from the more popular Tymoshenko. 

Yushchenko travelled to Tbilisi last week alongside leaders of four central European states in a show of support for Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili. He enraged Moscow by placing restrictions on the movement of ships and aircraft from the Black Sea Fleet, based in Ukraine’s Crimea peninsula. In the meantime, Tymoshenko and her bloc have been careful to maintain a balanced position over the conflict in Georgia. 

Both Ukraine and Georgia were denied a closer relationship with NATO at the alliance’s summit in Bucharest last April (EURACTIV 02/04/08). But analysts believe Ukraine sees opportunities to speed up its NATO bid in the context of the Georgian crisis. Recently EU foreign ministers agreed to sign an Association Agreement with Ukraine that would go beyond the current partnership accord but stop short of offering the country an EU membership perspective (EURACTIV 23/07/08). Such a formula – partnership but not membership – disappointed Kiev and was understood as a request to put more effort into joining the Atlantic alliance. 

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EU split ahead of NATO crisis meeting on Georgia

Ahead of a NATO foreign ministers gathering in Brussels today (19 August), major differences have emerged regarding  positions among EU countries over how to deal with Russia over the Georgia crisis. While most of the eastern EU members want a tougher stance on Moscow, France and Germany appear to be more wary of harming ties with Russia.