Ukraine leaders split under Russian pressure
President Victor Yushchenko of Ukraine accused his prime minister Yulia Timoshenko of committing "high treason" by not speaking out against the Kremlin during an escalating stand off with Russia.

By Damien McElroy
Last Updated: 6:50PM BST 18 Aug 2008

President Yuschenko has accused his prime minister Yulia Timoshenko of plotting to use the current crisis to take over as president Photo: AFP/GETTY
The feud between the onetime allies over Ukraine's strategic outlook raised fears that Kiev is vulnerable to political chaos should Moscow hatch a campaign to destablise a second pro-Western neighbour having humilated Georgia.

Key aides to Mr Yushchenko, who has incurred Russia's wrath by taking measures to retaliate against Moscow's aggression in Georgia, said Miss Timoshenko was plotting to use a deepening crisis with Moscow to take over as president.

"The actions of the current prime minister show signs of high treason and political corruption," said Andriy Kyslynskyi, the president's deputy chief of staff. "We said last week that Timoshenko systematically works in the interests of the Russian side. Unfortunately, this information is being confirmed."

Mr Kyslynskyi hinted that Mr Yushchenko would seek a secret service investigation of the alleged acts of national betrayal committed by Miss Timoshenko. A spokesman for Miss Timoshenko refused to comment on the allegations.

Although the presidential official provided no evidence to back up the assetion that crimes had been exposed, the remarks took a developing confrontation between the two liberal reformers to a new level.

"Russia's leaders are seriously considering supporting Prime Minister Yulia Timoshenko in the presidential campaign once she fulfils the condition of adopting a passive position in the conflict with Georgia," the spokesman said.

"The public has a right to know how far politicians will go beyond the boundary where political battles end and the betrayal of national interests begins."

Mr Yushchenko has made membership of Nato a prime goal of his presidency but Ms Timoshenko puts more emphasis on the country joining the European Union.

The importance of that divergence has been exposed by the pair's different responses to Russia's assault on Georgia. President Yushchenko flew to Tbilisi to stand with the embattled Georgian leader, Mikheil Saakashvili, while Miss Timoshenko issued restrained calls for an end to hostilities.

While Moscow would view Ukraine's accession to both organisations as a ominious tilt in strategic relations on its borders, the Kremlin opposition to Nato membership is far deeper rooted.

Ukraine hosts the Russian Black Sea fleet at the Crimean naval base at Sevastopol. Ukraine is home to a large Russian-speaking population, a diaspora that Moscow yesterday vowed to protect by dealing "shattering blows" to any nominated enemy.

Fearing that his state may follow Georgia into Russia's crosshairs, Mr Yushchenko has already sought to curb Russian fleet movements at Sevastopol and offered to integrate a former Soviet radar system into the American-backed European Missile Defence shield.

Both steps were direct challenges to Moscow's interests in its "Near Abroad" and designed to align Ukraine more closely to the West.

Ukraine's attempts to join Nato will be speeded up at an emergency meeting of foreign ministers called in the wake of the Georgian crisis that takes place today in Brussels.

The internal dynamics of Ukrainian politics provides opportunities for Moscow to increase its agitation through the Russian-speaking population. President Yushchenko and Miss Timoshenko were the prime movers behind the Orange Revolution that brought democracy to Ukraine in 2005, and was inspired by the similar Rose Revolution in Georgia a year earlier.

But the two fell out within months and President Yushchenko was forced to recall Miss Timoshenko after her political bloc triumphed in elections last year.

Ukraine faces a presidential election in 2010 and Mr Yushchenko is vulnerable to a challenge from the more popular Miss Timoshenko.

Mr Yushchenko has always been viewed with suspicion by the Kremlin, but since Moscow's agents attempted to assassinate him with chemical agent that left his face disfigured, he has been one of the most outspoken Russsophobes in the ex-Soviet bloc.

Although she is far from a Moscow stooge, Miss Timoshenko has been careful to keep lines of communication open to Vladimir Putin, Russia's strongman prime minister.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2580485/Ukraine-leaders-split-under-Russian-pressure.html

Monday, August 18, 2008
Ukraine PM 'Working For Russia'

KIEV, Ukraine -- Aides to Ukraine's President Viktor Yushchenko have accused Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko of working in Russia's interests in a bid to become president.

Presidential spokesman Andriy Kyslynsky said Ms Tymoshenko had been co-operating with Russia by avoiding any criticism of its actions in Georgia.

He said she was counting on Moscow's support in next year's Ukrainian presidential election.

Ms Tymoshenko, currently on holiday, has not yet commented on the claim.

Rows between President Yushchenko and Ms Tymoshenko scuppered their previous alliance after they came to power in the Orange Revolution in December 2004.

Mr Kyslynsky said a Tymoshenko campaign headquarters had been set up in Moscow, headed by Viktor Medvedchuk.

He was the chief of staff of former Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma - the political enemy of Ms Tymoshenko and Mr Yushchenko in 2004.

"Last week, we announced that we had information about Yulia Tymoshenko's systematic work in the interests of Russia. Unfortunately, that information is now confirmed," said Mr Kyslynsky, quoted by the Interfax-Ukraine news agency.

"We will hand over the material we have to the law enforcement bodies, for detailed study," he said.

"Society has the right to get an answer to the question: How far can politicians go beyond the point where political campaigning ends and betrayal of national interests begins?"

Source: BBC News

http://blog.kievukraine.info/2008/08/ukraine-pm-working-for-russia.html#comments