Viktor Yanukovych

Ukraine's president says he backs legal changes that could allow the release of jailed former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko. Viktor Yanukovych is facing harsh international criticism over a seven-year sentence for Tymoshenko on charges of abuse of office in signing a gas deal with Russia. The U.S. and the European Union have called the conviction politically motivated. Yanukovych said Thursday a law that served as a basis for Tymoshenko's conviction was outdated, adding that he agrees with those who want to amend it. He said that such amendments could be made in time for an...

Ukraine's president has played down plans by some European leaders to boycott Euro 2012 matches in Ukraine over the imprisonment of ex-premier Yulia Tymoshenko, saying the event will be a success, according to an interview published Thursday. "Why do you think nobody is coming?" Viktor Yanukovych was quoted as saying. "All the tickets have been sold, the excitement is incredible … Euro 2012 will take place and there will be fans!" Yanukovych also suggested in the interview with the Segodnya daily newspaper that Tymoshenko, who is suffering from a severe spinal condition, will...

KIEV - Embattled Ukrainian premier Yulia Tymoshenko yesterday withdrew her legal challenge to the presidential runoff vote, saying she could not win because the court refused to consider documents that she said showed election fraud. Tymoshenko lost the Feb. 7 runoff to pro-Russian opposition leader Viktor Yanukovych by 3.5 percentage points. She has refused to concede and urged a full recount, claiming that more than 1 million votes had been falsified or miscounted. “We see no sense to further consider the appeal,’’ Tymoshenko told officials at Ukraine’s Administrative Court.

Co-hosting the 2012 European Championship is important for Ukraine's political integration, the former Soviet republic's soccer leader said Friday. Hrihoriy Surkis said it would have been "a disaster" for Ukraine's relations in Europe if it had lost co-hosting rights with Poland because of delays building stadiums and crucial infrastructure projects. "This would be a refusal of European integration," said Surkis, a former member of Ukraine's parliament. "We would have lost the trust and confidence and the image of the country would be very low. " Instead, Ukraine will receive...

KIEV - Election officials named Viktor Yanukovych as the official winner of Ukraine’s presidential election yesterday, thwarting Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko’s hopes of overturning the vote. Tymoshenko’s last recourse is now with the courts, after the Central Election Commission also dismissed her complaints of fraud and misconduct during the Feb. 7 ballot. Yanukovych won the contest by 3.5 percentage points - about 888,000 of the nearly 25.5 million ballots cast, the commission said.

KIEV -- Losing presidential candidate Viktor Yanukovych appealed the results of last month's election to Ukraine's Supreme Court, arguing that the election be declared invalid because of massive fraud, a court spokeswoman said yesterday. Preliminary results from the Dec. 26 election show opposition candidate Viktor Yushchenko winning a sound victory. Taras Chornovil, Yanukovych's campaign manager, said Tuesday's filing was just an "intermediate" appeal, and the main challenge will be submitted only after the Central Election Commission announces final results.

NATO said Thursday it was disappointed by the sentence handed down to Ukraine's former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko for abuse of office over a gas deal with Russia. Tymoshenko, who once symbolized Western hopes for a democratic Ukraine, was sentenced Tuesday to seven years in prison. She has launched an appeal against the sentence. The verdict was condemned by the U.S. and European Union as politically motivated. NATO spokeswoman Oana Lungescu said the alliance was disappointed by the outcome of the trial and hoped a solution could be found "on the...

KIEV -- Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko said today he is nominating his former Orange Revolution foe, Viktor Yanukovych, for prime minister, insisting the decision would help unite the divided nation but acknowledging it might cause confusion. The decision ends four months of political uncertainty sparked by parliamentary elections in which no party won a majority. Yushchenko made the announcement in an early-morning address, two hours after the constitutional deadline passed for him to decide on Yanukovych's candidacy.

KIEV -- The winner of Ukraine's presidential election ordered his supporters yesterday to raze the tent camp in Kiev that had become a dramatic symbol of his victory over a Kremlin-backed opponent, saying conditions had become unsanitary. But the camp's occupants vowed to stay until Viktor Yushchenko is inaugurated -- and when that might be is in doubt after his vanquished opponent, former prime minister Viktor Yanukovych, filed an elaborate appeal with the Supreme Court contesting the election results.

KIEV - The new president, Viktor Yanukovych, vowed yesterday to create “a European state outside of any bloc,’’ but the crippling lack of consensus in his government was clear in the half-empty hall during his inaugural address. His short, unemotional speech showed a determination to save the economy and preserve ties with the West forged by the outgoing leadership. But his more specific pledges have suggested a turn back toward Russia in energy policy and military cooperation, policies that threaten to further polarize the nation.

NATO said Thursday it was disappointed by the sentence handed down to Ukraine's former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko for abuse of office over a gas deal with Russia. Tymoshenko, who once symbolized Western hopes for a democratic Ukraine, was sentenced Tuesday to seven years in prison. She has launched an appeal against the sentence. The verdict was condemned by the U.S. and European Union as politically motivated. NATO spokeswoman Oana Lungescu said the alliance was disappointed by the outcome of the trial and hoped a solution could be found "on the basis of the rule...

Ukraine's president says he backs legal changes that could allow the release of jailed former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko. Viktor Yanukovych is facing harsh international criticism over a seven-year sentence for Tymoshenko on charges of abuse of office in signing a gas deal with Russia. The U.S. and the European Union have called the conviction politically motivated. Yanukovych said Thursday a law that served as a basis for Tymoshenko's conviction was outdated, adding that he agrees with those who want to amend it. He said that such amendments could be made in time for an...

KIEV - The new president, Viktor Yanukovych, vowed yesterday to create “a European state outside of any bloc,’’ but the crippling lack of consensus in his government was clear in the half-empty hall during his inaugural address. His short, unemotional speech showed a determination to save the economy and preserve ties with the West forged by the outgoing leadership. But his more specific pledges have suggested a turn back toward Russia in energy policy and military cooperation, policies that threaten to further polarize the nation.

KIEV - Embattled Ukrainian premier Yulia Tymoshenko yesterday withdrew her legal challenge to the presidential runoff vote, saying she could not win because the court refused to consider documents that she said showed election fraud. Tymoshenko lost the Feb. 7 runoff to pro-Russian opposition leader Viktor Yanukovych by 3.5 percentage points. She has refused to concede and urged a full recount, claiming that more than 1 million votes had been falsified or miscounted. “We see no sense to further consider the appeal,’’ Tymoshenko told officials at...

KIEV - Ukraine’s presidential election results giving the victory to Russia-friendly Viktor Yanukovych were suspended yesterday pending review of his rival’s appeal. Ukraine’s Administrative Court said it would rule on Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko’s appeal by Feb. 25, when lawmakers had planned to inaugurate Yanukovych. Tymoshenko has refused to concede, asserting that the election was tainted by fraud. Instead of stepping down as Yanukovych prodded her, she ordered her cabinet to work out a plan for economic reform for...

KIEV - Outgoing President Viktor Yushchenko said yesterday that the policies of his newly elected successor could turn Ukraine back into a Kremlin vassal state. Yushchenko made the statements, some of his harshest against President-elect Viktor Yanukovych, at a news conference nine days before he is due to hand over power. “The victory of Yanukovych is a Kremlin project. It is a policy of deep dependence on Russia,’’ Yushchenko said. Yushchenko was the leader of mass street protests in 2004 against Yanukovych’s Kremlin-backed election...

KIEV -- Supporters of opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko took the so-called Orange Revolution on the road yesterday, piling into cars and buses for a 10-day odyssey to spread their message beyond the capital, targeting eastern provinces largely hostile to their candidate. With sirens blaring and trademark orange flags unfurled, more than 150 opposition supporters left Kiev, hoping to win over voters in areas where support for Yushchenko's opponent, Viktor Yanukovych, has been strong.

KIEV - Outgoing President Viktor Yushchenko said yesterday that the policies of his newly elected successor could turn Ukraine back into a Kremlin vassal state. Yushchenko made the statements, some of his harshest against President-elect Viktor Yanukovych, at a news conference nine days before he is due to hand over power. “The victory of Yanukovych is a Kremlin project. It is a policy of deep dependence on Russia,’’ Yushchenko said. Yushchenko was the leader of mass street protests in 2004 against Yanukovych’s Kremlin-backed election victory that year.

KIEV - Election officials named Viktor Yanukovych as the official winner of Ukraine’s presidential election yesterday, thwarting Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko’s hopes of overturning the vote. Tymoshenko’s last recourse is now with the courts, after the Central Election Commission also dismissed her complaints of fraud and misconduct during the Feb. 7 ballot. Yanukovych won the contest by 3.5 percentage points - about 888,000 of the nearly 25.5 million ballots cast, the commission said.

KIEV - Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko of Ukraine, apparently defeated by a narrow margin in last week’s presidential vote, ended six days of silence yesterday by saying the election had been rigged and she would challenge the result in court. Preliminary results from the Feb. 7 ballot gave her rival, opposition leader Viktor Yanukovych, a lead of just 3.5 percentage points. International observers called the election free and fair, but no winner has been officially declared, and Tymoshenko has refused to concede defeat.