The trial of former prime minister Tymoshenko, who was sentenced to seven years in prison last month for abuse of office, has soured ties between Ukraine and the EU and fueled speculation that Kiev will tilt more toward Moscow.

The EU this month called off a planned meeting with Yanukovich, who had said he would not “go begging” to Brussels, months before the two sides planned to initial agreements on political association and free trade.

Speaking to regional governors on Tuesday, Yanukovich said however that joining the European mainstream remained a priority for his government.

“I want to confirm once again that the course of modernization and European integration is the key one for Ukraine,” he said.

Brussels has pursued technical discussions with Ukraine on the planned bilateral deals but indicated that their signing might not happen until Tymoshenko is released.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian prosecutors have launched fresh probes into Tymoshenko’s past activities, accusing her of attempting to steal from the state budget and even saying she could have been involved in a contract murder in 1996.

She has denied any wrongdoing and says her prosecution is a political vendetta by Yanukovich, who beat her narrowly in an election for the presidency in February 2010.

Tymoshenko, 50, was a leader of the 2004 Orange Revolution which doomed Yanukovich’s first bid for the presidency. She served twice as prime minister before losing the 2010 election to Yanukovich in a bitterly fought runoff.