Show trial

THE sentence of seven years imprisonment on Yuliya Tymoshenko, the charismatic leader of Ukraine's pro-democracy Orange Revolution in 2004, bears all the signs of an old-style Soviet Union political show trial. She was accused of abuse of office as prime minister when negotiating a gas supply deal with Russia in 2009 and was also fined 120 million euros. Her lawyers said she would appeal against the sentence.

Ukraine is a country divided into two parts, pro-European and pro-Russian: Ms Tymoshenko leads the former and President Yanukovych, who faces re-election next year, the latter. Yanukovych was widely believed to be the power behind the trial but surprised everyone by saying afterwards that it was “a regrettable case impeding the European integration of Ukraine.” The response from Moscow to Ms Tymoshenko's sentence was ambiguous; Vladimir Putin, with whom she had negotiated the gas deal, said he could not understand why she had been jailed.

The European Union reacted more specifically, saying that the trial could have “profound implications” for Ukraine's hopes of continuing negotiations begun by Ms Tymonshenko for an “Association Agreement” with Brussels as a preliminary step to full membership. Once again Ukraine finds itself in a buffer role between Europe and Russia.

The best hope is that Yuliya Tymoshenko's appeal will be successful, enabling her to resume her pro-European leadership.