KIEV, Ukraine — Former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, a popular opposition leader who once symbolized Western hopes for a democratic Ukraine, was convicted of abuse of office and sentenced to seven years in prison Tuesday in a verdict condemned by the U.S. and European Union as politically motivated.
The charismatic politician denounced the court even before the judge finished speaking. She compared it to the 1930s purges and show trials of Soviet dictator Josef Stalin and promised Ukrainians: “I will always be with you.”
Tymoshenko’s conviction bodes ill for Ukraine’s aspirations to shake off Russian influence, integrate more closely into the West and eventually join the 27-nation European bloc.
The verdict capped a chaotic trial that started in late June and saw scuffles between Tymoshenko’s supporters and opponents in the courthouse. The court found Tymoshenko guilty of abuse of office in the signing of a natural gas import contract with Russia in 2009, saying she lacked an official authorization for the deal and had agreed to a price that was too high for Ukraine’s economy.
Tymoshenko, 50, has maintained her innocence, saying that as prime minister she did not need any special permission to order the signing of the deal.
