Lithuanian President says she is unaware of pan-EU boycott of football championship in Ukraine

"The pressure has already helped Tymoshenko to be transferred to hospital, that's clear. And while I'm saying that there needs to be positive pressure and positive criticism, full isolation will be not a solution," BBC World Service cited Grybauskaitė who visited Ukraine last week.

"We don't want to corner Ukraine totally and in that Ukrainian leadership can behave predictably but positive criticism and pressure needs to be taken care of because we still do not see the fair and impartial appeal process, we do not see the reform of judicial system, we do not see constitutional reforms we do not see legislation on freedoms of order press and assembly," the Lithuanian president said.

She said she did not know about plans to to hold an EU-level boycott of the European Football Championship due to start in Ukraine on 8 June.

"I do not have information about boycott of the football championship. But I am sure that pressure from the European Union on what Ukraine needs to do in its reform path towards Europe and respect of human rights - that's clear we all share the same opinion," Grybauskaitė told BBC World Service radio.

In her words, boycott of the football championship would be symbolic and painful for all, as using "sport as a tool of pressure is not always a very good solution."

"It will be very symbolic but we need to insist and put pressure over respect for human rights in general. It's not only about one event, it's about building confidence because mutual confidence is now failing and mistrust is increasing. And these are wider questions and wider solutions will be needed. And not only by Europe but, I think, by all democratic world," Grybauskaitė concluded.