We should feel guilty for the victims in Kyiv

We should fell like it’s our fault too. It’s (almost) all about the superficiality, the unpreparedness, the lack of coordination and, above all, the lack of ultimate responsibility in the European Union.

Several years ago it has been decided to sing a bi-lateral trade agreement with Ukraine. Great idea. Yet, had anyone been concerned about Moscow’s reaction, before 2013 first troubles emerged? Has anyone thought about the Ukrainians’ reaction to this opening to the EU? Poland, among the supporters of the bilateral agreement, has ever thought about these issues? Italy, which expressed several doubts on the agreement, yet let things go further, has ever thought about the possible consequences?

Given these facts, the battle for freeing Julija Tymošenko seems now totally ridiculous and out-of-the-world – a battle led by the EPP, under the motto “no freeing, no signing,” when in the end it was Ukraine that refused to sign.

It’s a symbol of the total misunderstanding of the situation by Europe. Few, very few observers were brave enough to say that Moscow would have exercised its influence, that the country would have risked its dissolution. Nobody listened. European leaders called for Tymošenko to be set free, while two blazes wee fired up, one by Moscow and one by citizens – and no one noticed them.

Yet, if someone did notice, and did not denounce the situation, well shame on them, guilty and criminal. If negotiators were aware of the situation, but hoped in a sort of “lucky chance”, well shame on them too, they’re guilty as well.

And anyone expressing solidarity, anyone protesting together with them on the street, without a real plan behind, well shame on them too, they’re guilty for the persons killed these days, together with the Ukrainian and Russian governments.

Who’s deciding? Who has decided? Nobody, I fear. Things are going on, passively. Little attention-seekers on the stage, no coordination at all.

As European, I feel ashamed when I look at Ukrainian protesters, nourished by illusions we were not able to back, which they are now paying. Personally.

Lorenzo Robustelli