Ukraine's highest court has upheld the guilty verdict against Yulia Tymoshenko, the former prime minister.
Tymoshenko was jailed for seven years last October, but she contends the charges against her are politically motivated.
Wednesday's decision was Tymoshenko's final bid to appeal her conviction of abuse of office.
Her lawyers are now appealing the conviction at the European Court for Human Rights.
The EU had previously condemned Ukraine's judicial system and pressed the need for reforms.
Al Jazeera's Simon MacGregor-Wood reports.
