Last chance for Ukraine

After Ukraine's Parliament failed to adopt a law which would allow former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko to leave for treatment in Germany, the European Parliament on the 13th of November decided to extend their mission in the country, led by former Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski and former European Parliament President Pat Cox, until the EU's Eastern Partnership summit.

Meanwhile, the new U.S. government representative for European Affairs Victoria Nuland has urged Eastern Europe to forget old grievances and hatred and has advised Ukraine to sign an association agreement with the European Union. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin told reporters in Brussels that Russia would not be able to continue the activity of some industry sectors in Ukraine if the country signed the association agreement with the European Union.

The closer the matter is, the clearer it gets. The intrigue remains, but the positions of the players of the game are basically defined. Ukraine did not let Ms. Timoshenko leave and, it seems, is not going to, because it is probably already thinking about going to the Russian side. Russia is as tough as ever and is attacking on all fronts so that it would be even easier for Kiev to make a decision.The EU really wants to take advantage of the Ukrainian market, but that unfortunate image of "the power of values" is hindering it. Probably that is why the European Parliament has given Ukraine another chance to resolve Ms. Timoshenko’s problem, and if this is not done, the association agreement will not be signed. Meanwhile, America is lazily urging Kiev to integrate with the EU, but who is this new U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Europe Victoria Nuland to the American elite that her words could be taken seriously. In short, Moscow is winning so far, but, as Mr. Kwasniewski has said, the chances still remain fifty fifty.