KIEV, Sept. 18 – The Ukrainian government on Wednesday formally gave its approval for landmark political and trade agreements to be signed with the European Union despite Russia’s mounting pressure to avert the deals.

Prime Minister Mykola Azarov said the agreements once signed in November would be “life-changing” for Ukraine, providing “for consistent progress towards the European quality of life."

Azarov said Ukraine wants to sign the agreements for trade and economic benefits, but also to make sure the “society adheres to modern standards of democracy and human rights.”

But he kept silent over the imprisonment of his predecessor, Yulia Tymoshenko, whose release European envoys have been trying to secure in the run-up to the Vilnius meeting.

The European Union, while pursuing the agreements with Ukraine, has condemned her trial for abuse-of-office and seven-year jail sentence as politically motivated, and her continued confinement still threatens prospects of a signing in Vilnius.

Azarov, following similar assurances from President Viktor Yanukovych, said Kiev would meet the criteria for democratic progress laid down by the EU as pre-conditions for signing the agreements in Vilnius.

Kiev has recently come under pressure from Russia, its biggest single trading partner, which wants to entice it instead into a Russia-led Customs Union, which also includes Belarus and Kazakhstan.

Russia fears a flood of competitive goods on the Russian market if Ukraine joins an EU free trade zone. It has warned Kiev of retaliatory action and said it will forfeit special partner status if it signs up with the EU.

The pressure has injected new tension into Moscow's relationship with Ukraine, which has pleaded unsuccessfully for cheaper Russian gas to help its hard-pressed economy.

He said the EU agreements contained nothing that could harm prospects for deepening cooperation with Russia and its allies.

He spelled out immediate trade advantages for Ukraine - whose economy is dominated by exports such as steel, chemicals and agricultural produce - saying there would be softer duties on Ukrainian exports almost immediately.

The pressure from Moscow forms part of a broader drive by Russia to deter former Soviet allies from edging out of its orbit and moving their economy and future trade towards the EU. (tl/rt/ez)