Europe views Timoshenko with suspicion

Orkhan Sattarov, Head of the European Bureau of Vestnik Kavkaza

Europe views ambiguously the release of the former Ukrainian Primer Yulia Timoshenko who immediately joined the competition for power in Ukraine. Even though the release of the former prime minister was one of main demands of Brussels from the dismissed government of Victor Yanukovich, it doesn’t mean the West wants to see her as a new president.

The response of leading German mass media, which coincides with the general position of official Berlin to some extent, is symptomatic. For example, Die Welt published an article headlined “Like Yanukovich, but prettier and with plaits.” It says that the ordinary Ukrainians don’t trust Timoshenko who is associated with oligarchic elites of the country.

Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung published an article on its website, which calls Timoshenko “a gas princess” against whom a criminal case was initiated, as she evaded taxes and was involved in corruption. Spiegel stated in its article subtitled “Merkel views Timoshenko skeptically” that German Chancellor Angela Merkel “actually called Timoshenko to order” on the phone. “Timoshenko will play a central role in Ukraine. Berlin pointed it out, but without euphoria,” Spiegel says.

Berlin which coordinates the EU policy in the Ukrainian direction has its own candidate – the leader of UDAR Party, Vitaly Klichko. Merkel met him privately; he is provided with serious information support by the Western media. However, Klichko (and Germany admits this) has no Timoshenko’s political talent. Moreover, his political image was damaged by his readiness to compromise with Yanukovich’s government. Now, when Yanukovich is a political history, it has become clear that a firm character of the Right-Wing Sector by Dmitry Yarosh determined the failure of Yanukovich’s government. However, the Europeans, especially the Germans for well-known historic reasons, didn’t dare support open radical nationalists. Vitaly Klichko acted in acceptable political limits for the EU, showing certain constructiveness, but people on the Maidan didn’t like it. As a result, the boxer got the bird.

At the same time, Timoshenko felt the mood of the Maidan very well. In her speech on the Maidan she criticized the opposition for its flexible attitude to the government of Victor Yanukovich who was guilty for deaths of common Ukrainians, according to her. Timoshenko referred to other opposition leaders as “politicians” and called herself “a part of the people.”

All these facts make us think that Ukraine steps into the second round of the internal political competition where the opposition leaders who recently have supported each other could appear at different sides. “It’s great that Ylia came back. It will help us to unite more people,” Vitaly Klichko said. The question is how long the Ukrainian opposition which got power will be able to say “we.”