Thursday, February 20
19:13 GMT:
Opposition leader Vitaly Klitschko, who heads the UDAR party, says that
no agreement has yet been reached on the settlement of the political
crisis in Ukraine. The statement came after opposition representatives
held talks with three EU foreign ministers in Kiev.
19:09 GMT:
Radicals have seized two district police stations in the Ukrainian
capital and blocked an army unit, Kiev police’s press service said.
19:06 GMT:
Following a meeting with European foreign ministers earlier in the
day, President Yanukovich has invited opposition leaders for talks on
the settlement of the situation, Party of Regions MP Yury Miroshnichenko
told Inter TV channel. Once they agree on a compromise, the plan will
be discussed inparliament, he added.However, the press secretary for the opposition UDAR party did not confirm to ITAR-TASS that party leader Vitaly Klitschko would take part in any talks.
“I have no such information,” Oksana Zinovieva said.
18:54 GMT:
According to Poland's Prime-Minister Donald Tusk, President Yanukovich
has agreed to hold early presidential and parliamentary elections this
year.He said that the Polish, German and French foreign ministers are currently working in Kiev on an agreement that would help to resolve the political crisis. The document is currently being agreed with the opposition.
“A [transitional] national unity government would be formed within 10 days and Ukraine’s Constitution would be amended by the summer,” he said, as cited by Itar-Tass.
18:37 GMT:
Russia’s rights ombudsman, Vladimir Lukin - who is being sent to Kiev
as a mediator in negotiations with the opposition at the request of
Yanukovich – believes a compromise between the conflicted sides is
possible.It will be “very difficult, but if I thought it was impossible, there would be no need to go [to Ukraine],” he told Interfax.
It is expected that Lukin will arrive in Kiev as early as tonight.
17:59 GMT:
EU decides as a matter of urgency on asset freeze and visa ban on those responsible for violence and excessive force in Kiev.
— Carl Bildt (@carlbildt) February 20, 2014
17:51 GMT:
President Yanukovich is working in his office in Kiev, his presidential
press-service has told Interfax. His sons – Aleksandr and Viktor – as
well as their families also remain in Ukraine.
The comment followed rumors circulated on the internet that “Yanukovich fled the country.”
It was also speculated on the web that the Ukrainian leader had sought political asylum in Russia.The Kremlin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, denounced the reports as false and part of the “information war.”
17:41 GMT:
Харьков! Kharkiv right now #Євромайдан #Евромайдан #Euromaidan pic.twitter.com/IDTiAGlNrz
— ЄВРОМАЙДАН (@euromaidan) February 20, 2014
17:38 GMT:
The administration in the city of Lvov, western Ukraine, has agreed
with police to set up self-defense units at the regional base of the
Berkut special forces, reports Interfax. These squads will work jointly
with law enforcers in order to prevent further destabilization of the
situation and provocations.
17:16 GMT:
European Union foreign ministers have agreed to move ahead with
imposing sanctions including visa bans and asset freezes on those
responsible for the violence in Ukraine, Italian Foreign Minister Emma
Bonino said.Speaking as she left an emergency gathering in Brussels, Bonino said the position had been agreed with the French, German and Polish foreign ministers, who are currently in Kiev negotiating with Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich.
"The decision is to proceed very rapidly, in the next hours, to a visa ban and asset freeze on those who have committed the violence," she told reporters. (Reuters)
