More accusations of sleaze surrounding Tony Blair

The Times reports that:

"Tony Blair, the favourite to become Europe’s first president, is believed to have accepted tens of thousands of pounds from a steel billionaire campaigning for Ukraine to join the European Union.

Victor Pinchuk, who is championing the country’s bid for EU membership, has already hired Stephen Byers, the former Labour cabinet minister, to press his case. He reportedly paid Blair to give a keynote speech in Ukraine.

...

Blair’s commercial activities and links to key business figures such as Pinchuk will come under scrutiny in any campaign for the EU presidency. The details of the role and contract of employment for the presidency are expected to be discussed by Gordon Brown and other leaders this month.

Pinchuk founded Yalta European Strategy (YES) to campaign for Ukraine to join the EU. Byers, the former trade secretary, is chairman of the board. Blair attended the annual YES meeting in the Ukrainian city of Yalta last year, giving the main speech.

Blair also attended an event sponsored by Pinchuk at the Davos summit in Switzerland this year, along with Bill Gates, Sir Richard Branson and Bill Clinton. He was not paid for this event.

A spokesman for Blair confirmed he was not paid for the Davos event but would not comment on the Yalta appearance. "

Words fail me.