Wake-up call

Deutsche Welle: Yulia Tymoshenko has received the maximum sentence – seven years in prison for abuse of authority. She was found guilty of illegally signing a gas supply agreement with Russia. Was the verdict fair?

Gunther Krichbaum: That can only be determined by an independent judge. But there are legitimate doubts as to whether the case against Yulia Tymoshenko was independent. Because everyone knows that up until a few years ago the judge had worked for customs and that his then-boss is now the head of the secret service. The judge is very young and does not have a lot of experience with cases like this one. There's more than a little indication that this is a politically motivated trial. That is completely unacceptable, in our point of view.

What does the ruling mean for the opposition and the people of Ukraine?

I think it will give a signal to society that says, "Watch out, we're not afraid to act against powerful people." You can say there's a campaign of intimidation going on here. It's disappointing that Ukraine is moving further and further away from democratic standards. If Ukraine wants to have a closer relationship with the European Union, or even join the EU someday, then Europe needs to see that Ukraine shares its democratic standards. There's no room in the EU for anything else.

EU politicians have repeatedly criticized this trial. How much damage has been done to the relationship between the EU and Ukraine?

The rift between Ukraine and the EU has definitely widened with this verdict. We are currently negotiating an association agreement that will bring Ukraine and the EU closer together. Political leaders in Ukraine suggested that this agreement should be separated from the free trade agreement. We won't go for that. I cannot imagine that a majority in the German parliament would ratify that agreement.

After the Tymoshenko trial, do you see any chance that the EU and Ukraine will at least sign an association agreement?

Nothing would be gained by that. For such an agreement to enter into force, each individual EU member would have to ratify it. After this verdict, I see little chance of that, but also no reason for it either.

Is there a risk that Ukraine will be driven into the arms of Russia if the association agreement is not signed?

Ukraine has to decide for itself what it wants. The country is completely responsible for the direction it takes. That is the message that must be understood in Ukraine. The country is at a crossroads. If Ukraine does in fact want to get closer to the EU, then it must adopt European values. That means the rule of law, democracy and respect for human rights. If Ukraine has no interest in these values, then it must know itself where it's headed.

Interview: Volodymyr Medyany / hf
Editor: Michael Lawton