Federico Fubini, an Italian journalist at Corriere della Serra, has published an interesting interview with the Ukrainian PM Yulia Tymoshenko in Foreign Policy in which it is possible to see just how thin the line is becoming for Ukraine – seeking balance between Russia’s wrath and Europe’s cold shoulder.  One can’t help but wince when looking at the geopolitical situation for Ukraine, which in a moment of having its very existence questioned by a powerful former occupier can’t find a reliable ally in Europe.  Still, Tymoshenko remains fiery despite attempting to strike greater balance.

“All this crossfire shows what I really stand for is our own national interest,” she says. Then she is quick to add: “The Russians worry that we are trying to privatize our pipelines by stealth, but that’s not the case and would be illegal. We have to reassure them on that.”

Tymoshenko returns frequently to the challenges presented by Ukraine’s position between Russia and the European Union. “There is no doubt we want to join the EU. At least 60 percent of our public opinion favors this option, and we are now closer to this goal than, say, one year ago. This policy must be the essence of all our actions,” she says. But, she warns, it cannot succeed by confronting Moscow or ignoring its concerns.