Europe

Ukraine opposition issues ultimatum for president

347204_Ukraine-clashesUkrainian opposition leaders have issued an ultimatum for President Viktor Yanukovych to call early elections within 24 hours or face more protests in the Eastern European country.

Speaking at a mass rally at the capital Kiev’s Independence Square on Wednesday, Vitaly Klitschko, a former professional boxer and leader of the opposition political party, Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reform, urged the president to end the current standoff by calling early elections.

“Early elections will change the situation without bloodshed and we will do everything to achieve that,” said Klitschko, adding, “Tomorrow (Thursday) if the president does not respond… then we will go on the attack.”

The ultimatum comes amid deadly clashes between anti-government protesters and security forces in Kiev.

So far, at least five people have been killed and hundreds more injured in the clashes which broke out on Wednesday after the police began removing barricades set up by the demonstrators on Kiev’s central Grushevsky Street.

Opposition leaders held a meeting with the Ukrainian president on the same day, but the talks failed to resolve the political stalemate.

The fresh round of violence broke out last week shortly after the government imposed a controversial ban which prohibits mass protests.

Both the European Union (EU) and the US have called for an immediate end to the violence, warning they would take action against Ukrainian authorities.

Ukraine has been witnessing anti-government protests since Yanukovych refrained from signing an Association Agreement with the EU at the third Eastern Partnership Summit in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, in late November 2013, in favor of closer ties with Russia.

Kiev and Moscow reached a strategic economic and trade deal last December, which provides Ukraine with significant discounts on imported Russian gas and billions of dollars in credit.

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