United States Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues Melanne Verveer says the imprisonment of Yulia Tymoshenko is a horrible symbol of the politics of the current Ukrainian government, according to the Official web site of Yulia Tymoshenko.
"In the US, the EU, and generally around the world – I just returned from several countries – they say the situation with the imprisonment of Yulia Tymoshenko in Ukraine is bad, it's unacceptable. It’s a mistake. It’s a terrible sign! I don’t think there is a single argument that could change this," Melanne Verveer said in an interview with Dzerkalo Tyzhnia.
In her opinion, the conviction of Yulia Tymoshenko damaged Ukraine’s image as a democratic state. "I think it’s deplorable! If you’re talking about the case of Yulia Tymoshenko, how could they organize a trial in a way that it didn’t meet any international standards?! They threw her in prison, ignored the process that should have been followed. This hurt Ukraine tremendously," she said.
On November 10, Melanne Verveer met with Yulia Tymoshenko’s daughter, Eugenia Tymoshenko, and assured her that she has the support of U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who hopes that she will soon be able to personally meet with the Ukrainian ex-premier.
