the european central bank presses governments to do more to save the continent's economies saying it's time to take the lead the banks president speaking ahead of major meeting. ministers who are there to find a solution to the crisis. as a former ukrainian prime minister. yulia timoshenko is sentenced to seven years behind bars for abuse of power off speaks to stanislav a bill called ski director of the moscow based institute of national strategy about the implications of the trial stay with us for spotlight. the welcome to spotlight show you party. about the

trial. the former ukrainian prime minister. being sentenced to seven years in prison the court found her guilty overstepped while signing gas contracts. the verdict surprised and disappointed the world community and even russia in favor of the contract. many said in the trial. so is it. to. go to prison and what's going to happen to. the direct. of the fact that. you tymoshenko was arrested in the summer on charges of abuse of office according to the prosecutors she signed an unfair long term contract with russia's gas exporter gazprom resulted

in almost two hundred million dollar losses all the ukraine russia the us you immediately condemned the verdict as politically motivated and europe even warned it could hold several trade agreements with kiev nevertheless right after the verdict more corruption charges were filed against you. now she's accused of embezzling government funds to pay out adaptive a company she wants rand. thank you very much for being with us on the show was an. e.u. authorities and even. members of the member states europeans. countries are menacing ukraine with grave consequences how far do you think europe may go in defending tima shoko and is a ukraine's european and bishan really at stake today as a person firstly for i don't think europe would agree to sainz of free trade zone

agreement and association agreement with ukraine expects of literals the seer unless you let a machine to set free by the end of the year and i'm hopeful victory in a college understands this well. we may have some proof to what you just said let's hear how european commission's foreign policy chief catherine ashton commented on tomasz anchors guilty verdict. he didn't really disappointed with the verdict that's come out of ukraine in the case of yulia timoshenko the trial that took place didn't in our view respect international standards of being fair and transparent and having an independent legal process i've repeatedly asked for this in statements that i've made unfortunately what we're seeing confirms that justice is being applied so actively in what we see as politically motivated prosecutions of the leaders of the opposition and members of the former government i have to say

six trini disappointing in a country that currently holds the chairmanship of the committee of ministers of the council of europe. in this law do you think that. will be ready to concede i think so at least it's widely known the victorian across which promised to several european leaders to set a unity much anchor free and to review the trial results by the end of the year and the confidential conversations with those leaders. informally initiated the trial about half a year ago i think he did not expect an op. such consequences but now he cannot refuse a vector of ukrainian development itself its movement toward europe so he will be forced to change the destiny of your later mushing well a ukraine considers itself to be a sovereign and independent country though many may question it but still do you think it's independent enough not to let foreigners intervene into its internal

judicial affairs. that's independent enough i believe but the same time. the history of modern ukraine's and snake ninety one when the state emerged in it was encouraged clear distinct borders reflective the basic trend of ukrainian development out of russia. we from russia and the idea ukraine is not russia formulated in the flesh inflection book of the former ukrainian president learned kuchma still dominates was in the political elite regardless of who is the ukrainian president and so if not as russia then with europe europe as a key point for ukraine to get rid of this fall historical dependence on our country well of course ukraine is important for europe it is important for the for the west. timoshenko also is important

who do you think is more important for western diplomacy for western politicians that may be deciding the fate of the poor prime minister today who is most important ukraine. mr mishra i think by this before this trial tymoshenko has never been a hero for your. she was not considered as a symbol of the queen and democracy europe has been constantly suspicious about. because business track record about her connections with her ashes official some big business or personal connection was put in which had been established and generally two thousand and nine when this contra had been signed and so on and so on those were when you say personal relations is that a group wouldn't you mean business the business deal the way they made business together is one of those deal and mutual sort of thing hardly to be hidden from european of year but do you believe there is mutual so there was it is merely

observed the solicitor general in many times and now we see and hear a lot i'm appalled and openly supports the rot in washington that she is you know this is true because because she has never been a big fan of russia she has never been a big fan of moscow of kremlin how could have could have she she deserved sympathy . of prime minister benjamin included i know her well enough and. we were in france and italy earlier this decade and i think is not she's not ideologically nor geo politically motivated person for her the question number one is power and for systems of the world helpful for her to obtain the power and to keep the power could be france was in some period of time what about the old russian saying that a friend of my enemy could be my friend she is a friend of sacrifice really. extent richter you should get used to be more of a close friend to her to in some situation she was of her because i wouldn't call

her very much she's in her that he should not forget you are to much anger and have affection and ukrainian parliament supporter trashed position on south ossetia in august of two thousand and eight and did not support really which was of paramount importance for them or put them well you know it's a much younger face is now a new crib. all charge the accusations are fresh though the case over crimes allegedly committed back in ninety ninety six when she had a private power company spotlight you know the media has more. unity mission because work as the president of the united energy systems of ukraine in the mid one nine hundred ninety s. made you one of the richest people in the country it got her the nickname gas princess and made her the subject to criminal investigation ten years ago she was arrested on charges of forging customs documents and smuggling gas between one

thousand nine hundred five and nineteen ninety seven she was released several weeks later though the same year the main military prosecutor of pressure brought charges against you for allegedly giving bribes to russian defense ministry officials russian investigators unsuccessfully tried to invite a mission to for the question then in two thousand and four a new arrest warrant for her was issued in russia and it even went as far as putting her on in two pools wanted list. became prime minister of ukraine in two thousand and five but never traveled to russia during her first seven months in office way to the same year russian prosecutors dropped the charges against the machine gun this week ukrainian prosecutors have once again turned to events of fourteen years ago accuse into mission of illegally using government money to cover her company's debt to the russian defense ministry if the case goes to trial and if

she's found guilty to mission could good face up to twelve years in prison. while mr brokaw ask you what do you think. may be the political consequences of this trial for you it's a machine get said she has never been in a row for the west is she becoming a hero by osama she's never been out since august second. since she's been arrested . she had become is she is she once again becoming the hero among. big percent of the population in here in ukraine yes i think so i think and knowing who you are to much interpersonal of it told you i am very suspicious that she. wasn't going to be arrested should it his best to be arrested by and by august because he has resolved to achieve two girls he tried to achieve since her defeat in presidential elections in two thousand and ten to obtain back her status as an opposition leader is a unique opposition leader. to consolidate the european support around her should

achieve both girls and do you think that the mission goes conviction may have any consequences for the president gets deals between between gazprom enough to go has been. and out of college and government would try to use this sentence as an argument and the dispute was russian because now ukraine would try to. proof that their contracts. we think on this court decision this pitch us court decision was the center of the. and the generally two thousand and nine guess agreement was signed by the people which exceeded their powers and such we it's a legitimate as may be those arguments will do proctors international between court as well do you think do you think that putin and gas prong may use as some papers put it may use the general outrage against ukraine's leadership in order to hard

pressed ukraine on gas prices yes i think so because i don't see a lot of my fortune and guest from. i don't predict maybe making big succession student brain so you guess war is not far from us so strenuous laughter will cost the director of the institute of national strategy spotlight will be back shortly will continue this interview after a while they were. on the money with the business of russia.

the. discovery. led police. community. and become free to. see what nature can give you. the official ante up location. i pod touch from the. slums all teach life on the. city of london. smiling old costs and feet in the palm of your. suggestions.

please. please. just see. her. welcome back to spotlight i've been just there was that my guest in the studio today. the director

of the moscow based institute for national strategy we're talking about the intense that a unity mission could the former ukrainian prime minister got in a court of seven years and maybe maybe looking at another twelve the who's well many say that this decision was politically motivated well in russia this decision is called anti russian so do you think that this court decision may may influence russian ukrainian relations also negatively yes to very considerable extent the sentence was or had been quite predictable for the past two months and i don't think it was surprise for national leaders and involved in negotiations between on different matters well and here is the reaction russian prime minister vladimir putin. to be honest i can't quite understand why she got those seven years to go did not sign anything the contracts were signed between economic agents

gazprom enough to go as they were signed fully in accordance with russian and ukrainian legislation as well as international rules and regulations i think it's dangerous and counterproductive to call into question the entire set of agreements . since live do you also agree that the trial to machine code was politically motivated just a very considerable extent what's the motive there may be only two motives one motive was to make yulia timoshenko even a bigger political star than there then she was three months ago and the other motive is to spoil your relations with your strategic partner which is russia so both because this is seem to be insane for a same politician s.p.v. should not try everest to meet with three in a club which is politician. half a year ago and all the deal started victory in a car which may be actually considerate of the potential consequences of the

processes for you. able for himself he really thought the trail would undermine you little machine her reputation as politician and opposition leader but the result of a subversive see now and secondly. the gas lobby around him and closing his chief of staff sergei. their german is to yuri boykin some other persons very close economically and. to ukrainian president consider all of this to motion control was an instrument of pressure on russia to change the basic conditions of two thousand and guess contracts and they still hope it could be efficient as we got through this but certainly it's a very results of the trial are very dull fall for the rest of the political historical prospects of victoriana college but i don't think that realizes how far why doesn't he realize simple things there there there that seem obvious for me for you there is because it's a personal vendetta and we when people are on vendetta dead they don't see anything

except when they look a certain extent yes because you're in a car which was so so amazing that many many times mention for them in the context of his criminal trials at some of your times so maybe ukrainian president is going to remind all his enemies all his competitor of the to be in prison and not to do to get into prison is not so complicated in our life so don't remember him he was in prison decided times himself so but what was even know basically it was a strategy mistake of victorian approach he hasn't got any political classes he wanted to but has got many political minuses he did not predict well you know he actually said he regretted the court's decision as putting obstacles in the way of ukraine's european integration what does it regret would he make himself formal as a european and european leader which emphasizes. it does not interfere with any

court decisions and with the powers of court. here is how ukraine's president viktor yanukovych reacted to the court's decision hours after it was announced. naturality court made its decision on the basis of the current criminal code but it's not the final decision there is still the court of appeal. you know it will be very important on the basis of which laws the decision of the court of appeal will be made. well is speaking about political motivation the investigation against the machine coast started back in two thousand and nine if i'm not mistaken then he wasn't yet the president of the country do you think he had the power and he had enough influence to stop. the investigation not to let the verdict happen yes only he controls

a general prosecutor's office that most wanted just depends on his willingness to stop the investigation ex-president. go was a witness saying in court against tim a show they are friends we we all remember the their displeasure this guy was witnessing against this lady why did they do it why the most victory you should consider the most positive result of his five years presidency not to let a few little machine curtain returns in the better but a place for us because the relationship between you your polish are much more friendly than between you going to mushing. really considers you are to much anger as the biggest threat to your queen and democracy and you green in future so he acts logically and predictably and also adding to her popularity they are very good at it until her status of you're the united positionally is both guys i mean both

presidents of ukraine are that great i mean i mean those are people really just of ukraine into politics. was to and still is tried today to a certain degree for treason are the key interests there is this accusation of treason of key have appeal to the nationalist west of the country. to our friends in the west. and before the presidential election after solved my dose of uncertain some new queen invest in us were bitterly disappointed in the. birth because of the content of two thousand and contract condition and the relationship growing friendship between you and for them are put there to even talk humiliate than ukrainian president viktor yushchenko in publicly but now i think due to viktor yanukovych due to the trial and the sentence. has got back all the support of ukraine investors the consolidated support services so what you're implying is that

the political preferences the political situation in ukraine is changing today because the because of this trial yes yes. and i think if you were not arrested the result would be so dramatic and so she understood the rest of the very favorable for her politically and that's why looking at her behavior in the court how he offended to judge how her how sure fair how her friend of the judge and the rules of behavior in the courts themselves i think here it's a machine called wanted to be arrested for some time being so for the same time to a year by europe's pressure she will be set free shortly if she's free she she she will still be a convicted criminal but she has to win the appeal if she wins the appeal that there that most women are leaving the accusations is that most probably will mean that sure that you will be well at least one of the most probable candidates for presidency is that right now first and foremost as the leader of the opposition and

they are the parliament elections doesn't wealth and even if you let a machine because not clear for of the accusations it would not have the right to take part in the parliament elections two thousand and twelve personally but you can hear as they are a certain thing. here and you're a pretty sure but brink very much the opposition victory. i have heard that the head of the the had of the appeal court of ukraine is the is a great fan of you is that right and does that inquisitor head of supreme court supreme muster on often that sort of final everything will depend on victory in a college and has ballooned to satisfy european demands and free to much of this year oh we're talking about the west we're talking about moscow but what about the supporters i would you lead to mission queenside the country is their voice heard you mean do they as somehow influence the political process in the country the

leaders of course and i think that while yes any support. from outside would consolidate you know it's emotional support us inside ukraine. the prosecution continues the investigation another corruption charges against the machine do you think that. these new accusations did this new threat of adding another twelve years to her a seven year sentence make untrue. it depends if it's a potential mechanisms of pressure onto your little machine if she is freed this year but if the victorian accord which will be wanting some some time in the future to bring her back to try one prison so those new york use asians and investigation results could be used to the same time the ukrainian power wants to remind trash that russia has cleared. the general prosecutor's office of russia has given us i'm

ashamed of those accusations in two thousand and five and to such we will tell you our coverage and his cronies one for one to emphasize that russia has could have some confidential delicate relationship with zealots in washington and the details of the relationship between ports and so much include could be disclosed if it would be political and necessary for yanacocha but russia's clearance from intermission card was only by a year two thousand and five this was a politically motivated this and i was going to get it because at this very moment you are too much ink a visit that we needed here is upon the person a lot of it was only after being fired from my prime ministers imposed by force in moscow and they came to some agreements on how to fight to get on president and democratic chances ports and so if put in as too hot. to cave in general college himself in a coup which could remind the world what the relationship between person and

tymoshenko has been for five years since two thousand five. hundred this situation will be developing just a reminder that my guest on the show today was standing bill kosky director of the institute for international standards and thanks a lot for the winners and this is that from all of our spotlight and we'll be back with more there's going to comment on what's going on in and outside russia until then stay on r t n.

great. thing. to. do you need. to look at the. moscow.

ugly scenes in new york as police turn up the heat on defiant anti-corporate protesters in new york with scuffles and at least fourteen arrests marchers are celebrating after a tense standoff with authorities ending in the police backing down. the u.n. says the death toll in the syria uprising stands at more than three thousand as opposition activists reported mounting support from military defectors despite the government dismissing the plane. and the european central bank presses governments to do more to save the contents of companies saying it is time for politicians to take the lead the banks president was speaking ahead of major meetings of the world finance ministers who are in paris to find a solution to the crisis right now is the alley on the show statement.