The EU says it is putting on hold work on a key trade agreement with Ukraine, saying the government's arguments have "no grounds in reality". Protesters have taken to the streets in support of the agreement, which was rejected by the government.
Tens of thousands of Ukrainians rallied in support of President Viktor Yanukovich in central Kiev today, separated by a line of riot police from anti-government protesters who have camped out for weeks in a nearby square.
A day after talks between the government and the opposition failed to resolve the political crisis, Yanukovich's supporters waved the blue flags of his Party of Regions and chanted the president's name.
There is an urgent need for de-escalation in Ukraine as President Yanukovich tries to calm a country bitterly divided over years of history.
Ukraine's political and economic landscape is stuck between old Soviet masters in Russia and the democratising ideals offered by the EU.