KIEV, Sept. 2 – President Viktor Yanukovych may show up in Parliament on Tuesday to address lawmakers before they debate bills needed for closer integration with the European Union, political leaders said.

“I spoke with the president,” Volodymyr Rybak, the speaker of Parliament, said. “He is ready, but lawmakers have to do everything so that he could make the address.”

Yanukovych has been refusing to show up in Parliament for years amid fears that opposition lawmakers would press him on the prosecution and jailing of former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko.

Yanukovych’s address in Parliament is seen as crucial for his Regions Party to support the bills that would help Ukraine to sign free trade and political association agreements with the EU in November.

Arseniy Yatseniuk, the leader of Batkivshchyna, the largest opposition group, said he was also confident that Yanukovych will address lawmakers on Tuesday.

“We are expecting the president in Parliament tomorrow,” Yatseniuk said. “We are ready to listen to Viktor Yanukovych. I hope this will not be an empty talk, but the address that is worth of the high status of the president of Ukraine.”

“The address should have clear answers to the question of whether Ukraine is moving towards the EU, how fast it will move there, when the bill will be approved and how the issue of political persecution will be handled," Yatseniuk said.

Fearing the government has not been doing enough to approve legislation needed for closer European integration, the opposition groups in July have called on Yanukovych to urgently address Parliament on the issue.

These fears have worsened as lawmakers were on summer recess for most of July and August, making it harder for Ukraine to meet the deadline for approval of the legislation.

Yanukovych in June cancelled his planned address to Parliament amid fears that the opposition groups would disrupt the address by demanding release of political prisoners.

Yanukovych tried to address some of these fears on August 29, when he said Ukraine will meet all conditions to be able to sign the free trade and political association agreements in November.

Ukraine hopes to sign the agreements at a summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, in November and needs to implement several key reforms, including amending election legislation and reforming its judicial system.

Russia has tried to encourage Ukraine to drop the EU integration plans and to join the Russia-led Customs Union instead, promising up to $9 billion in annual trade benefits.

As the latest sign of mounting pressure, Russia completely blocked imports from Ukraine for several days earlier this month with its senior officials suggesting that the trade restrictions will become permanent if Kiev signs the agreements with Brussels.

The tough trade restrictions threatened to disrupt operation of some of the country’s biggest companies, from confectionary Roshen to steel pipe maker Interpipe. (tl/ez)