The Verkhovna Rada failed to pass a law on sending prisoners for treatment abroad. Consideration of the issue on which the future fate of ex-Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, as well as the European integration of Ukraine, depends, has been postponed, reports Ukrayinska Pravda .

Tymoshenko's release, or at least sending her abroad for treatment, was an EU condition, subject to which Ukraine could count on signing an association agreement and a free trade zone. It was assumed that this issue would be resolved before the EU summit in Vilnius (it will take place on November 28-29), where it was planned to sign the agreement.

However, the Rada deputies will probably not have time to pass a law concerning Tymoshenko by the Vilnius summit. Today, November 13, the European Parliament mission, created to monitor the republic in preparation for an agreement with the EU (the key issue the mission dealt with was the release of Tymoshenko), will present its report on the results of its work in Ukraine. And next Monday, November 18, a meeting of the EU Council will take place, at which it will be decided whether Ukraine is ready for association with the European Union and whether it has fulfilled the necessary conditions.

Meanwhile, the next meeting of the Verkhovna Rada, at which Tymoshenko’s issue could be considered, according to RIA Novosti , will only take place on November 19.

Several bills on sending prisoners for treatment abroad were previously submitted to the Ukrainian parliament. However, the ruling Party of Regions did not support any of them. A working group was created in parliament, which was supposed to develop a single project, but this was never done.

Let us recall that the Ukrainian authorities previously rejected Russia’s proposed entry into the Customs Union and declared European integration a priority. However, recently the leadership of the republic has begun to admit that the planned agreement with the EU will not be signed. There have been suggestions in the Ukrainian press that the authorities are sabotaging rapprochement with the EU by refusing to release Tymoshenko.

Yulia Tymoshenko, after her political opponents, Viktor Yanukovych and his Party of Regions, came to power, was arrested and sentenced to seven years in prison. She was accused of exceeding her powers when concluding gas agreements with Russia. Other criminal cases were also initiated against the ex-prime minister. She herself denies the accusations against her, saying that she is being persecuted for political reasons.

Since 2012, Tymoshenko, who is serving a prison term, has been in hospital. There she is undergoing treatment for a spinal disease. The former prime minister expressed a desire to continue treatment in Germany.

Yulia Tymoshenko was left behind bars until the EU summit