Former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko has given three pieces of advice to President Viktor Yanukovych, which she said can save the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement.

"I know all of your real internal motives, and therefore I will not overload you with moral and civilizing maxims," Tymoshenko said in an open letter to Yanukovych, which was read out by her defense lawyer, Serhiy Vlasenko.

"I want to give you only three pieces of advice that you will definitely understand, [which will] possibly save the agreement."

Tymoshenko advised Yanukovych not to play the EU off against Russia.

"You're now choosing the vector of Ukraine's international strategy depending on how it influences your chances of re-election for a second term as president. You decided that for this purpose the best solution is to remain neutral between the EU and Russia, and therefore are killing the Association Agreement with the EU. You think you will be able to further conduct the policy of bluffing and blackmail and play between two civilized centers, receiving from them coveted gifts to retain power - cheap gas, the electorate and money from some of them, and international legalization of your authoritarian rule and corruption from the others. You're mistaken."

Tymoshenko said that after the disruption of the signing of the agreement, "the Western democratic world will leave you alone until 2015, because they are not the service on the re-education of primitive politicians."

"Since the final disruption of the agreement you will lose a powerful center of influence that you want to use further, namely the Western democratic world. You will remain one-on-one with Russia, and you will have to live according to its roadmap. At this stage, the disruption of signature with the European Union will be well received by Russia, and you will most likely even get rewarded for your 'courageous' step. I do not know what it will be - relatively cheap gas, moderate loans or just the settlement of trade problems - it does not matter," Tymoshenko said.

She warned that these "will not just be gifts, but the gifts with hooks on which they will tightly hang you."

"When you feed very hard in the economic and social failure, the IMF or the European Union will not be with you, and 'your only friend,' Russia, will definitely help you, but with such a price in the betrayal of Ukraine's national interests, which you will not even be ready to pay. Later Russia will give you a choice: either it will save you from the social and economic collapse at the expense of the loss of independence or will not react at all. Both options for you and Ukraine are politically lethal, and you will simply have no other options at that moment. So my first piece of advice: under no circumstances remain one-on-one with Russia, because in this format you will lose everything. Only the Association Agreement can protect you," reads the letter.

The ex-premier also advises the president to change the tone of negotiations with the EU: "My second piece of advice: do not knock money out of the hands of the Western world in exchange for the agreement so rudely and hysterically. This looks like primitive caveman manners. Sign the agreement, and the Western world itself will give you everything. They will save you from all financial and socio-economic failures that you have already arranged for Ukraine."

She said that the world's leaders would help Yanukovych "not lose as a politician and not lose the country, even if you strongly resist."

"So my second piece of advice: if you want financial, intellectual and political support from the whole world, sign the agreement without humiliating and mediocre trades, they will give everything, without doubt or hesitation. Despite the scale of Russian resources, they cannot be compared with the capabilities of the entire democratic world," Tymoshenko said.

She also promised that if Yanukovych convenes a meeting of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) at which the decision on the signing of the Association Agreement is made, she would ask European leaders to sign the agreement without performing part of the criteria, including those related to her release.

"Do not have a so obvious inferiority complex about my question. Your fear is so evident that you cannot hide it. The signing of the agreement at a time when you will hold a political hostage in your dungeons will significantly reduce the cost of your European heroism. This is your risk and your losses. Do what you think you have to do. I promise that if you make a decision at a meeting of the National Security and Defense Council to sign the agreement, I will turn to European leaders on the same day with the request to sign the agreement without performing part of the criteria, including those related to my release. I do not know whether they will listen to my request, but I will do everything in my power to sign the Association Agreement. Remember my third piece of advice: think about the success of the country for which you are responsible, rather than about the trivial preservation of power at any cost, and success will itself find you, it will not be late," Tymoshenko said.

She said that Yanukovych might not listen to her recommendations.

"Obviously, you may not listen to my pieces of advice. This means that nobody will give even a kopeck for your political future, and you will unlikely remain the president of Ukraine for a long time, but now you have time and the right to choose. So choose," Tymoshenko concluded.