You're reading: Russia urges ‘fair’ trial of Tymoshenko

Moscow, August 5 (Interfax) – Russia has said its 2009 natural gas agreements with Ukraine, the formal reason for the current trial in Kyiv of former Ukrainian prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko, "strictly conformed to the national legislation of the two states and international law" and insisted that the trial be "fair and unbiased."

Tymoshenko is accused of exceeding her powers in approving the deals, which allegedly inflicted heavy losses in Ukraine.

"All of the gas agreements of 2009 strictly conformed to the national legislation of the two states and international law, and the presidents of Russia and Ukraine had issued necessary directives for their signature," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Friday.

"We follow the principle that Tymoshenko’s trial must be fair and unbiased and meet all of the requirements of Ukrainian legislation, with the possibility of defense and compliance with elementary humanitarian standards and rules," it said.

The reason for the statement was an order by Kyiv’s Pechersky Court on Friday to take Tymoshenko into custody.