DANIEL McLAUGHLIN
Ukraine's anti-government demonstrators plan to march from Kiev's Independence Square to parliament today, to demand changes to the constitution that would dramatically weaken President Viktor Yanukovich.
Opposition leaders are expected to attend the rally after returning from talks with Chancellor Angela Merkel in Germany, where they said last night "western partners" stood ready to offer major financial help to a new Ukrainian government that would undertake reforms.
Protest chiefs urged people to join this morning’s “peaceful offensive’ against deputies with a demand to immediately take all measures necessary to resolve the crisis . . . In particular, this means a return to the constitution of 2004, which would preclude the concentration of power in the hands of one person.”
Opposition parties say that if the constitution is changed, they may be willing to form a coalition cabinet to end almost three months of street protests, lead Ukraine out of crisis and seek emergency aid from the EU and IMF.
They rejected an earlier offer from Mr Yanukovich to form a new government, saying it would be impossible to run the country properly while he controlled all levers of power.
Confrontation
Leading members of Mr Yanukovich's Regions Party have rejected calls for swift constitutional reform and snap elections, however. Increasing the possibility of confrontation today, officials have said that police who are blocking approaches to parliament did not plan to leave their positions.
Opposition leader Arseniy Yatsenyuk said last night in Berlin that "our western partners are ready to offer a new Ukrainian government appropriate support".
Alongside him, fellow opposition chief Vitali Klitschko added: "Economic support could be offered not to the regime, but only to the state, in exchange for economic reforms that should take place and would spur economic development in Ukraine."
Dr Merkel’s spokesman, Steffen Seibert, said she had expressed “sympathy for the legitimate concerns of the Ukrainian people”.
Ukraine's protests began in late November when Mr Yanukovich abruptly rejected a historic deal to tilt the country towards the EU, in favour of moves to repair relations with Russia.
Loan
Moscow subsequently offered cash-strapped Kiev a $15 billion (€10.9 billion) loan and cheaper gas. The Kremlin later said loan payments would be halted until Ukraine had a new cabinet, but officials in Russia said last night it would buy $2 billion in Ukrainian bonds this week.
Russia has traded accusations with the US and EU of interfering in Ukraine’s affairs, and top western diplomats have visited Kiev regularly during the crisis.
Protesters want Mr Yanukovich to resign and for snap elections to be held. But there is disagreement in their ranks – which include everyone from liberal rights activists to ultra- nationalists, anarchists to Afghan war veterans – over how to achieve their goals.