The Associated Press reported that U.S. Vice-President Joe Biden, the administration's prime contact with Yanukovych in recent days, spoke to the Ukrainian leader Thursday by phone and urged him to immediately pull back police and other military and paramilitary forces that were repelling demonstrators.
U.S. Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel had tried to reach the Ukrainian Defence Ministry to discuss the violence, but "they have been unresponsive to our requests," said Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby, a Pentagon spokesman who said the lack of responsiveness was unprecedented.
Ukrainian opposition members celebrate during the adoption of a resolution urging the authorities to stop shooting, withdraw police forces from the centre of Kyiv and end the action against the protesters. (Viktor Gurniak/Reuters)
The White House said Obama and Merkel agreed it was "critical" U.S. and EU leaders "stay in close touch in the days ahead on steps we can take to support an end to the violence and a political solution that is in the best interests of the Ukrainian people." Earlier this month, bugged and leaked diplomatic phone calls exposed EU-U.S. disagreement on Ukraine.
The EU plan "offers a chance to bring an end to violence," Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said in Warsaw, adding that Yanukovych was willing to hold rapid elections to parliament and the presidency a year before his term ends — the latter something Yanukovich has so far appeared reluctant to consider.
Vigil for fallen 'heroes'
In Kyiv, demonstrators on Independence Square held a vigil after dark for fallen comrades, lit by mobile phone screens held aloft.
Medics carried bodies on stretchers through lines of protesters who chanted "Heroes, heroes" to the dead.
Though armed militants on the barricades tend to be from the far-right fringe, the opposition has broad support. But many Ukrainians also fear violence slipping out of control.
"This is brother fighting brother," said Iryna, a local woman walking to Independence Square to donate syringes for blood transfusions. "We need to realize we're all one people."
'Would you go out if there were snipers on the roofs of your city? This is essentially war.'- Iryna, Kyiv resident
Kyiv residents emptied bank machines of cash and stockpiled groceries, with many staying off the streets.
"Would you go out if there were snipers on the roofs of your city? This is essentially war," Iryna said.
All schools and kindergartens in central Kyiv closed this week and the city's metro system was stopped at one stage, although it reopened with a limited service on Thursday.
Re: УКРАИНА ВПЕРЕД !!!
сб, 22/02/2014 - 19:22 — Антон ГроссИммиграция в Италию Facebook YouTube Telegram Twitter
Re: УКРАИНА ВПЕРЕД !!!
сб, 22/02/2014 - 19:19 — sergio0305+1http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=K78j1rYXxRQ
Re: УКРАИНА ВПЕРЕД !!!
сб, 22/02/2014 - 15:19 — Samantha+2дык, вам там взад ужe и нeкуда, какбэ. ¡No pasarán!
НИКОГДА СНОВА!
Re: УКРАИНА ВПЕРЕД !!!
сб, 22/02/2014 - 15:02 — sergio0305+1ONLY VICTORY
СЛАВА УКРАИНЕ !!!
Re: УКРАИНА ВПЕРЕД !!!
пт, 21/02/2014 - 08:33 — sergio0305+1УКРАИНА ВПЕРЕД !!!
Sources: Associated Press, Reuters, CBC News
The Associated Press reported that U.S. Vice-President Joe Biden, the administration's prime contact with Yanukovych in recent days, spoke to the Ukrainian leader Thursday by phone and urged him to immediately pull back police and other military and paramilitary forces that were repelling demonstrators.
U.S. Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel had tried to reach the Ukrainian Defence Ministry to discuss the violence, but "they have been unresponsive to our requests," said Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby, a Pentagon spokesman who said the lack of responsiveness was unprecedented.
Ukrainian opposition members celebrate during the adoption of a resolution urging the authorities to stop shooting, withdraw police forces from the centre of Kyiv and end the action against the protesters. (Viktor Gurniak/Reuters)
The White House said Obama and Merkel agreed it was "critical" U.S. and EU leaders "stay in close touch in the days ahead on steps we can take to support an end to the violence and a political solution that is in the best interests of the Ukrainian people." Earlier this month, bugged and leaked diplomatic phone calls exposed EU-U.S. disagreement on Ukraine.
The EU plan "offers a chance to bring an end to violence," Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said in Warsaw, adding that Yanukovych was willing to hold rapid elections to parliament and the presidency a year before his term ends — the latter something Yanukovich has so far appeared reluctant to consider.
Vigil for fallen 'heroes'
In Kyiv, demonstrators on Independence Square held a vigil after dark for fallen comrades, lit by mobile phone screens held aloft.
Medics carried bodies on stretchers through lines of protesters who chanted "Heroes, heroes" to the dead.
Though armed militants on the barricades tend to be from the far-right fringe, the opposition has broad support. But many Ukrainians also fear violence slipping out of control.
"This is brother fighting brother," said Iryna, a local woman walking to Independence Square to donate syringes for blood transfusions. "We need to realize we're all one people."
Kyiv residents emptied bank machines of cash and stockpiled groceries, with many staying off the streets.
"Would you go out if there were snipers on the roofs of your city? This is essentially war," Iryna said.
All schools and kindergartens in central Kyiv closed this week and the city's metro system was stopped at one stage, although it reopened with a limited service on Thursday.