On Oct. 17, the president indicated that he is prepared to release Tymoshenko for medical treatment in Germany, which she requires for her spine problem. Her release from jail is one of three preconditions Ukraine has to fulfill to be able to sign an unprecedented association agreement with the European Union at the end of November.
Yanukovych said that if the parliament approves a law that would set a legal framework for her leave, he will sign it. This is the first time ever that he has clearly laid out the exact plan of action he is prepared to support.
But it’s not clear whether this offer will be generous enough for either Tymoshenko or the European Union. Tymoshenko’s team insist that nothing short of a pardon will be acceptable. The Europeans are silent so far.
This seems to be a true compromise in the sense that none of the sides are completely happy with the offer. There is dissent in the Party of Regions. There is indignation in Batkivshchyna. There is a clear expectation on behalf of the president that the parliament needs to act. And there is frustration in Europe at this ping-pong in Ukraine.
Oh yes, and there is a deadline. Tymoshenko has to cross the border by November 18 for the European side to be able to take a positive political decision on signing the association.
We think that all sides should work towards making this compromise deal work – if not for the sake of Tymoshenko, then for the sake of the strategic European choice for Ukraine that would become sealed by the signature of an agreement in Vilnius. We think that instead of putting forward new conditions, all sides should work towards fixing the bugs and minimizing the side effects of this offer.
In a nutshell, we think that if there is light at the end of the tunnel, all the drivers of this Ukraine train should work together to get there as fast as they possbily can.
