A Moscow TV news program is reporting that Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych did not meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Nov. 9, contrary to an announcement by Yanukovych's press service.
The report came on a Sunday night news program called "Vesti Week" from broadcaster Dmitry Kiselev, who said Yanukovych - "the main westward integrator" - never made it to Moscow.
A day earlier, Yanukovych’s press service said that he and Putin will hold urgent talks on trade and economic relations as the Nov. 28-29 summit approaches between the European Union and Ukraine, along with five other former Soviet republics. The announcement of a Yanukovych-Putin meeting was carried by Interfax-Ukraine news agency.
Russia has vociferously opposed Ukraine’s attempts to forge closer ties with the EU through a political association and free trade agreement. The Kremlin has tightened restrictions of Ukrainian exports to Russia and officials have suggested that more punitive sanctions will be forthcoming if Ukraine signs the association agreement with the EU in Vilnius.
Yanukovych’s disputed press announcement of a meeting with Putin comes as the EU and Ukraine remain at an impasse over conditions for signing the association agreement. EU officials demand the release from prison of ex-Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and an end to selective prosecution, a curb on prosecutorial powers and an election law that ensures a democratic and fair contest for the presidency in 2015, when Yanukovych is expected to seek re-election.
A fuller report of the controversy, with film clip from Vesti Week’s news program, is available on the Ukrainska Pravda news website. There was no response from Yanukovych’s press service today.
The BBC gave the following English-language translation of the Russian TV news program:
(Text of comment by “Vesti Nedeli” weekly news programme presenter Dmitriy Kiselev on Russian official state television channel Rossiya 1 on 10 November. Source: Rossiya 1 TV, Moscow, in Russian 1600 gmt 10 Nov 13)
[Presenter Dmitriy Kiselev] Amid further falls in Ukraine’s economic ratings, a shortage of cash, the need for new emergency loans, and total uncertainty over the prospect of [jailed former Ukrainian Prime Minister] Yuliya Tymoshenko being released from prison in order to undergo treatment in Germany, the Ukrainian government is drafting next year’s state budget. On Saturday [9 November], Prime Minister Mykola Azarov said that the state budget would depend on talks with the IMF and Moscow. Is this a question of who pays more? That is their independence.
On the same day, that is literally yesterday, at around lunchtime, the Ukrainian president’s press service suddenly issues a strange piece of news. Allegedly, [President Viktor] Yanukovych is urgently flying out to Russia on Saturday evening. The report is immediately disseminated by news agencies, such as Interfax, and Ukrainian websites. There are no details, however. Except this:
[Narrator] The parties will discuss issues relating to trade and economic relations between Ukraine and Russia ahead of the [EU] Eastern Partnership summit, which is taking place in Vilnius at the end of November.
[Kiselev] It seems to be a sensation, but, on the other hand, Yanukovych already paid us a surprise visit exactly two weeks ago when he flew to Sochi to meet Putin. The result was not announced, but one can speak about what one feels.
A five-hour conversation with the world’s most influential person proved to be such a potent pill that Ukraine’s integration into the EU seems to have lost momentum. This may be a false impression on my part, but the [liberal] opposition in Kiev has also noticed this and is protesting.
Now the main westward integrator has suddenly decided to head eastwards again, but unexpectedly went missing. He has not turned up in Moscow, having, sort of, bid farewell to Kiev. So, where is Yanukovych?
The last report on the Ukrainian president’s official website is dated 8 November. Then, having assembled his cultural and artistic figures, Viktor Yanukovych told them that the IMF had demanded that domestic gas prices not be raised under any circumstances. The Ukrainian president’s website does not report what the representatives of the world of culture said in reply. Nor does it report the main thing, which is where Yanukovych himself is today. In a word, a mystery.
It is also surprising that no one in Ukraine is looking for the president. Nor in Moscow, by the way, which is normal. Brussels? They have not yet started looking either. No comment here.
