The European Union's welcomed Ukraine's pardon of a close ally of jailed former premier Yulia Tymoshenko, former interior minister Yuriy Lutsenko, calling it "an important step".

The president of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, called the ex-minister's release an encouraging move.

Under pressure from the European Union and the West, Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych pardoned six people including Lutsenko. 

They will all go free later today.