Brussels Revokes Ukrainian Invitation

摘要

The EU has canceled a meeting scheduledfor Thursday with the president of key gastransit state Ukraine in the wake of the con-troversial conviction of former UkrainianPrime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko for abuseof office (IOD Oct.12'11).Viktor Yanukovich's visit to Brussels "hasbeen postponed to a later date when the condi-tions will be more conducive to makingprogress on the bilateral relations," EuropeanCouncil President Herman van Rompuy said.The Ukrainian president had been due to dis-cuss a free-trade agreement, but the EU warnedlast week that Tymoshenko's sentencing to sev-en years in jail would have "profound implica-tions" on relations, raising doubts over whetherthe meeting would go ahead.