BERLIN - German President Joachim Gauck has cancelled a planned visit to Ukraine next month, a spokesman said, amid growing concerns over the health and treatment of jailed former Ukrainian prime minister Julia Tymoshenko.
Germany has been particularly critical of Ukraine over the Tymoshenko case, which has badly strained relations between the former Soviet republic and the 27-nation European Union that it aspires to join.Berlin has offered to treat Tymoshenko, who suffers from acute back pain, in a German hospital, an offer it repeated on Wednesday. It also expressed concern over reports that prison guards beat her during her recent forced move to hospital.
