Ukrainian President Hits at Potential Compromise

A pro-European integration protester throws stones toward riot police as others take cover in Kiev on Thursday. Reuters

KIEV, Ukraine—President Viktor Yanukovych, under pressure from Western leaders, hinted at potential compromise with the opposition over increasingly violent protests. But opponents said they remained deeply skeptical, as previous pledges have seen him offer little ground.

Amid a flurry of phone calls Thursday from European leaders and U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden, Mr. Yanukovych ordered parliament's speaker to call an emergency session to find an immediate solution to antigovernment protests that turned deadly Wednesday.

Protesters and police who have clashed violently in recent days agreed to a temporary truce Thursday while opposition leaders met with Mr. Yanukovych for a second time in two days.

A White House spokesman hailed the Ukrainian president's move to meet again with opposition leaders but blamed the escalating tensions in the former Soviet Republic on the government's failure to address protesters' grievances and its recent moves to enact anti-protest laws.

"Political dialogue to address the legitimate concerns of the Ukrainian people is the necessary first step towards resolving this crisis," White House spokesman Jay Carneysaid. "Next we need to see concrete steps taken by the government."

European Commission President José Manuel Barroso said in an interview that he warned Mr. Yanukovych in a telephone call Thursday of possible consequences in its relationship with the European Union if his government continues violence against protesters. He declined to specify what actions might be taken.

Mr. Yanukovych also discussed "a peaceful way out of the crisis" in calls with Mr. Biden and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, his office said.

In unusually strong comments earlier Thursday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Thursday that she was "furious" about the situation in Ukraine and called on Mr. Yanukovych to respect law and basic rights.

The EU's foreign policy chief will fly to Kiev next week to push for dialogue between the two sides. Another top EU official is set to arrive in Kiev Friday.

At a meeting in his office in Kiev, Mr. Yanukovych asked Ukrainian parliamentary speaker Volodymyr Rybak to call lawmakers to an extraordinary session to discuss the protests, which began two months ago when Mr. Yanukovych walked away from an EU integration pact in favor of closer ties with Russia.

"You know that the riots that happened recently have been accompanied by violence, bloodshed and arson. The situation today needs an immediate solution," he said.

The emergency parliamentary session was set for Tuesday. While Mr. Rybak said lawmakers could discuss some of the protesters' demands, including the dismissal of the government, opponents said it could be used as a chance to introduce a state of emergency to start a broader crackdown.

Mr. Yanukovych met with the three main opposition leaders Thursday, but there was no news on the results of the talks by early evening.

The protests, which have developed into a wider outcry against government corruption and police violence, turned violent in recent days amid anger at a lack of concessions from the government and new legislation cracking down on dissent.

At least three protesters have died in clashes with police in recent days, two of them from bullet wounds. Officials have said authorities aren't responsible for the deaths.

Activists have cited higher numbers of deaths and accused police of using excessive brutality against protesters. One video showed police forcing a detained protester, naked but for a pair of socks, to pose for photos outside a police van in freezing temperatures. The Interior Ministry said it was investigating the incident.

In a sign that Mr. Yanukovych is losing control over some parts of the country, crowds stormed the offices of regional governors appointed by the president in five cities in western and central Ukraine, where most favor closer ties with the European Union.

A crowd of thousands in Lviv demanded that the local governor, Oleh Salo, sign a letter of resignation. He later repudiated the letter, saying it was signed under threat of physical violence, Ukrainian media reported.

In a video address to Lviv residents, Mayor Andriy Sadoviy criticized police violence in Kiev. He said that laws passed last week clamping down on dissent "violate the country's constitution and common sense, and will never apply in Lviv."

The Wall Street Journal