Ukraine PM says ready to revive pro-West coalition
Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko on Wednesday said she would accept any conditions to salvage a pro-West coalition amid fears the pro-Russian opposition would seize control.
“We will close our eyes and accept any ultimatums in order to preserve Ukraine’s strategic orientation, to preserve the parliament and not to throw the country into a new crisis,” Tymoshenko said in parliament.
Tymoshenko has been in a spiralling row with President Viktor Yushchenko sparked by differences over how Ukraine should react to Russia’s August war in Georgia.
She warned the political deadlock was a result of actions by Yushchenko, who was doing “everything in order to lead the country towards early elections.”
“We will not allow this. We will see who across the country wants to have a democratic coalition, and who does not,” the prime minister said.
The coalition government collapsed in September when Yushchenko’s party pulled out in protest at Tymoshenko’s decision to support a bid by the pro-Russian opposition to reduce the president’s powers.
Talks on re-establishing the coalition have made little headway since, raising the prospect of new elections, which Tymoshenko warned Friday would likely be won by pro-Russian parties.
A win by Moscow-friendly politicians would put an end to Yushchenko’s efforts to bring the former Soviet republic of 47 million into the NATO military alliance and the European Union.
Yushchenko and Tymoshenko have had a love-hate relationship since 2004, when they joined forces in the so-called Orange Revolution to overturn the rigged election of pro-Russian candidate Viktor Yanukovych as president.
Their latest split was sparked by differences over how Ukraine should react to Russia’s war with Georgia, with the president’s allies accusing the prime minister of “treason” for not being sufficiently tough on Moscow.
Yushchenko, Tymoshenko and Yanukovych are all expected to compete in presidential elections due by 2010.
The premier is due to travel to Moscow on Thursday for talks with her Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on issues including a deal on the delivery of gas to Ukraine.
President Yushchenko is to visit Britain and Italy next week fresh from talks in Washington.