"A democratic and economically strong Ukraine is important to the U.S. as well as to the EU," says Peter Hannaford, influential conservative commentator and long-term senior advisor to President Ronald Reagan

WASHINGTON, April 29, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is being released by the US-Ukraine Observer:

Long-time senior advisor to President Ronald Reagan, Peter Hannaford has warned against sanctions on the senior Ukraine government leaders should Kiev not meet conditions for the European Union's Association Agreement.  Writing for the leading conservative publication, The American Spectator, Hannaford writes:  "A democratic and economically strong Ukraine is important to the U.S. as well as to the EU. In a recent opinion article in the New York Times, former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine, John Herbst, suggested that if Ukraine fails to meet the EU conditions the latter should invoke sanctions on Ukrainian political leaders (presumably Yanukovich and others). That would have the opposite of the desired effect. It would strengthen the clamor by a Ukrainian minority that is pushing for a new trade agreement with Moscow. The EU should sign the final Agreement even if not every reform called for has been put into effect, provided a way is found to follow the Lutsenko action with one involving Tymoshenko. Once Ukraine is 'in the tent' with the entire EU, it will be easier to continue pursuing the other reforms to a successful conclusion. Carrots are almost always better than sticks."

Hannaford cites the release of former Ukraine Interior Minister Yuri Lutsenko as a positive step to demonstrate Kiev's determination to prevent "selective justice" but states calls to release former Ukraine Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko from prison as one issue on the Association Agreement agenda that seems non-negotiable with the EU.  "Recently, amid reports of her declining health, Tymoshenko was moved to a prison hospital. This might give Yanukovych the opportunity to release her on humanitarian grounds (perhaps with a private quid pro quo that she would agree to stay out of elective politics).  The EU wants to see progress on other reforms defined in the joint Agreement agenda, such as Ukraine's adoption of international election standards. Nevertheless, getting rid of these two examples of what it considers selective justice might be enough to activate the Agreement," writes Hannaford.  

In his commentary, Hannaford argues the release of Lutsenko should be viewed positively by Washington: "[Lutsenko's release] is a step toward completion of [the] stalled European Union-Ukraine Association Agreement which would open up EU markets to Ukrainian exports — a great potential boon to the country's economy. Close Ukrainian ties to the EU can also be seen as a proxy for stronger, broader ties between the United States and this strategic country that lies between the West and Russia."

Long-time senior advisor to President Ronald Reagan, Peter Hannaford is one of America's top conservative commentators.  His latest book is Reagan's Roots: The People and Places That Shaped His Character.

The American Spectator: "A Breakthrough in Ukraine?" http://spectator.org/archives/2013/04/17/a-breakthrough-in-ukraine

Contact: US-Ukraine Observer, Frank Abernathy, 615-290-5662, [email protected]

SOURCE US-Ukraine Observer