Dear Viktor
Fedorovych!
Today I can relatively safely write a letter to you.
Frankly speaking, yesterday after the government decision to deny singing
of the association agreement (with the European Union), I wanted to kill you.
I think 70 percent of people felt the same way. We beg your pardon for all
these spontaneous emotions, we are all human and sometimes it is hard to control one’s temper. But now
it is important not to sink into aggression, but to save the situation by all
means. You are the only one, who can do this, that is why I apply to you with
this letter.
Viktor Fedorovych, I advise and beg you to call the National Security and
Defense Council, to listen to all the doubts of your government regarding your solemnization
with Russia with father’s attention, to admit, that you understand their
worries, and to decide on signing the agreement immediately on an extraordinary
meeting.
This is your only chance to survive as politician, because now, while
killing the agreement, you make the main mistake of your life.
I am well aware of your true internal motivation that is why I will not
overstrain you with moral or civilizing adages. I want to give you only three pieces
of advice, which you will certainly understand, and which maybe, will save the
agreement.
Advice #1. You choose the vector of international strategy of Ukraine depending on
the way it will influence your chances to re-elect for the president position.
You decided that the best solution for this aim is to straddle the fence
between the European Union and Russia, and because of that you are killing the
association agreement with the EU. You think that you can continue to bluff, blackmail
and play between two civilizing centers and to receive desired gifts from them
for the sake of your power position. From some of them – cheap gas, electorate
and money, from others – international legislation of your authoritarian rule
and corruption. You are wrong. I believe, that after the failure of signing the
agreement, the Western democratic world will leave you alone until 2015,
because they are not in the business of reeducating primitive politicians.
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Editor’s Note: Join top government officials, leading industry CEOs, business owners and other experts to discuss Ukraine’s future after the Vilnius Summit at this year’s Kyiv Post Tiger Conference, which will be held on Dec 3 in Premier Palace Hotel. The guests and speakers will assess the effects on Ukrainian political and economic life of not signing an association agreement with the European Union at the Eastern Partnership Summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, on Nov. 28-29. Register now or find out more here
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Since the final agreement break, you will lose one of the most powerful
influence centers, which you want to continue to exploit – the Western
democratic world. You will be one to one with Russia; you will have to live up
to its road map. At this point, the failure of agreement with the EU will be
well approved by Russia, and you will even likely to get some sort of remuneration
over this “courageous” step. I do not know what it will be like – relatively
cheap gas, discreet loans or withdrawal of trade problems. It doesn’t matter. But
keep in mind that these are not just gifts but hooks which you will fall for. And
that’s not all. When you will have hardship during the economic and social
failure, and there are no International Monetary Fund no European Union, then
your only “friend,” the Russian Federation, will help you, no doubts.
But the price of surrender is the national interests of Ukraine, which even
you are not willing to pay. Russia will make you choose: either it will rescue
you from socio-economic collapse, which has come already, or will not rescue at
all. Both variants are politically fatal for you and for Ukraine, but you will
have no other at that time. So, my advice for you is: under no circumstances stay one to one with Russia, because in this case
you will lose everything. You can only be protected with the association agreement.
Advice #2. Stop trying to get money from the Western world so roughly and hysterically
in exchange for the agreement. It looks like primitive, crude impropriety. Sign
the agreement – and the Western world will give you everything itself. They
will save you from all the financial and socio-economic gaps that you have made. Understand that
when you sign the agreement, the whole democratic world will be honored not to
disappoint Ukrainian society in the European vector of development. Everything
will be done for the 46 million people to experience real and substantial
positive results by signing the agreement with the EU. Unlike you, world leaders are
responsible for people’s faith in the European values and standards and will help
you not lose as a politician and not lose the country. So, my second advice is:
if you want financial, intellectual and political support around the world –
sign the agreement without humiliating and untalented bidding. You will be
given everything without doubt and hesitation. Despite the scale of Russian
resources, they cannot be compared with the capabilities of all the democratic
world.
Advice #3 — Do not feel uneasy because of my issue. Your fear is so evident that you
cannot hide it. Signing the agreement while holding a political prisoner in your
dungeons significantly reduces your European heroism. But that’s your risk and
your loss. Do what you consider necessary. I give you my word, that if you decide
to sign the agreement, on the same day I will apply to European leaders asking
to sign the agreement without implementation some parts of criteria, including
those related to my release. I do not know whether they will consider my
request, but I will do what I can to sign the Agreement. Remember my third
advice and think about success the country you are responsible for, not about
banal conquest of power at all costs, and success will come imperceptibly. It
will not linger upon.
Naturally, you don’t have to listen to my advice. It means no one will give
half of the coin for your political future, and you will hardly stay as
president of Ukraine for long. But for now, you have time and right to choose.
You choose.
Yulia Tymoshenko, imprisoned
in Kharkiv’s Kachaniv colony, is the former prime minister of Ukraine. She
wrote this letter to President Viktor Yanukovych on Nov. 22.
