European leaders have mounted renewed diplomatic pressure on Ukraine over its treatment of Yulia Tymoshenko, the jailed former prime minister. Jose Manuel Barroso, the EU Commission president, said on Tuesday that he would not go to Ukraine during the European football championships in June unless there is a swift improvement in the human rights situation there. ‘It is clear that as things stand now, the president has no intention of going to Ukraine,’ Barroso's spokeswoman said. His announcement followed that of EU Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding, who is also skipping the opening ceremony of the Euro 2012 football tournament, to be hosted by Ukraine and Poland, on June 8. A German government spokesman also said any visit by Chancellor Angela Merkel during the championship, one of the continent's main sports events, would be linked to Tymoshenko's fate. Tymoshenko has been on a hunger strike since last week to protest against her alleged beating in prison.

Pray: that the Ukrainian authorities would have a change of heart and seek the truth and resolve the situation. (Dt.10:20)

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