The United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations has considered the candidacy of Geoffrey Pyatt for the post of U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, and the Senate is expected to approve him soon, Voice of America reported on Tuesday.

Pyatt said at a meeting of the Committee that if approved, he would urge the Ukrainian government to seize a historic opportunity and to take immediate steps to fulfill the EU requirements for the signing of the Association Agreement.

He said he planned to make it clear to Ukraine's President Viktor Yanukovych that without the release of former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko Ukraine will not be able to get closer to the EU.

According to the diplomat, Ukraine gets a huge advantage from the signing of the Association Agreement, and in particular the agreement on free trade. And there are certain conditions for its signing, including putting an end to political persecution and the release of Tymoshenko.

At the same time, Voice of America noted that Pyatt spoke cautiously about Russia's desire to see Ukraine in its sphere of influence.

Pyatt will succeed John Tefft as U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine. Tefft has served as the ambassador since November 2009.

Foreign media also reported that the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations at its meeting on Tuesday also passed a resolution urging the Ukrainian authorities to release Tymoshenko.