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Ukrainian President Meets With Opposition Leaders Meeting Opposition Leaders, Ukraine’s President Calls for End to Protests
(about 4 hours later)
KIEV, Ukraine — In the his first meeting with opposition leaders since the outbreak of a sustained civil uprising here, President Viktor F. Yanukovich of Ukraine had a succinct message on Friday for the tens of thousands of protesters calling for changes at the highest levels of government. He urged them to stop protesting.KIEV, Ukraine — In the his first meeting with opposition leaders since the outbreak of a sustained civil uprising here, President Viktor F. Yanukovich of Ukraine had a succinct message on Friday for the tens of thousands of protesters calling for changes at the highest levels of government. He urged them to stop protesting.
“I appeal to our citizens,” Mr. Yanukovich said, at the end of a more than two-hour meeting that included protest organizers, religious leaders and all three ex-presidents of Ukraine. “Calm down and stop the confrontation. Confrontation has never led to anything good.”“I appeal to our citizens,” Mr. Yanukovich said, at the end of a more than two-hour meeting that included protest organizers, religious leaders and all three ex-presidents of Ukraine. “Calm down and stop the confrontation. Confrontation has never led to anything good.”
The so-called round-table talks occurred as Mr. Yanukovich, whose popularity has plummeted since his abrupt decision last month to back away from signing political and free trade accords with Europe, is under intensifying pressure to resolve the crisis. It is coming not only from officials in the West and in Russia, who have been in a tug of war for influence over Ukraine’s future, but also from some of Ukraine’s wealthiest and most influential businessmen —the so-called oligarchs —who seem increasingly jarred by the instability and uncertainty in the country, and worried about the fast-deteriorating economy. The so-called round-table talks occurred as Mr. Yanukovich, whose popularity has plummeted since his decision last month to back away from signing political and free trade accords with Europe, is under intensifying pressure to resolve the crisis. It is coming not only from officials in the West and in Russia, but also from some of Ukraine’s wealthiest and most influential businessmen, the so-called oligarchs, who seem increasingly worried about the instability in the country and the deteriorating economy.
The country’s richest man, Rinat Akhmetov, a multibillionaire widely viewed as a close ally of Mr. Yanukovich, issued a statement on Friday expressing support for demonstrators and urging that the government offer a clearer picture of its intentions. It was a highly unusual commentary on public affairs by a man who generally prefers to operate privately. The country’s richest man, Rinat Akhmetov, a multibillionaire widely viewed as a close ally of Mr. Yanukovich’s, issued a statement on Friday expressing support for demonstrators and urging that the government offer a clearer picture of its intentions. It was a highly unusual commentary on public affairs by a man who generally prefers to operate privately.
Since backing away from the accords with Europe, Mr. Yanukovich has been in negotiations with Moscow over desperately needed economic aid, and he is scheduled to meet on Tuesday with Russia’s president, Vladimir V. Putin. At the round-table meeting, one of the country’s senior religious leaders, Patriarch Filaret of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyivan Patriarchate, warned Mr. Yanukovich not to use force against protesters or to join Mr. Putin’s fledgling customs union of post-Soviet states.Since backing away from the accords with Europe, Mr. Yanukovich has been in negotiations with Moscow over desperately needed economic aid, and he is scheduled to meet on Tuesday with Russia’s president, Vladimir V. Putin. At the round-table meeting, one of the country’s senior religious leaders, Patriarch Filaret of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyivan Patriarchate, warned Mr. Yanukovich not to use force against protesters or to join Mr. Putin’s fledgling customs union of post-Soviet states.
Use of force only calls for more force,” Filaret said, sitting directly across the oblong table from Mr. Yanukovich, who at times alternatively seemed pained and bored throughout the meeting. “And what does that mean? A civil war. Do we want a civil war? None of us wants a civil war,” he said. “Use of force only calls for more force,” Filaret said, sitting across the oblong table from Mr. Yanukovich, who at times seemed pained or bored. “And what does that mean? A civil war. Do we want a civil war? None of us wants a civil war.”
“It is impossible to disperse the square by force,” Filaret said. “It will gather again. And if you join the customs union, even more people will come out.” “It is impossible to disperse the square by force,” he added. “It will gather again. And if you join the customs union, even more people will come out.”
Although Mr. Yanukovich offered to impose a moratorium on the use of force against demonstrators and to consider amnesty for protesters who have been arrested in recent weeks, opposition leaders say they heard nothing conciliatory in his remarks.Although Mr. Yanukovich offered to impose a moratorium on the use of force against demonstrators and to consider amnesty for protesters who have been arrested in recent weeks, opposition leaders say they heard nothing conciliatory in his remarks.
“The only response there was today was that forceful methods will not be used now,” said Arseniy P. Yastenyuk, the leader in Parliament of the opposition Fatherland party, who attended the talks. “Do I believe this,” Mr. Yatsenyuk asked. “No. But did he give his word? Yes.” “The only response there was today was that forceful methods will not be used now,” said Arseniy P. Yatsenyuk, the leader in Parliament of the opposition Fatherland Party, who attended the talks. “Do I believe this?” he asked. “No. But did he give his word? Yes.”
Vitali Klitschko, the champion boxer who leads the United Democratic Alliance for Reform party, put it more bluntly. “Today, the authorities have not considered any of the oppositions’ demands,” Mr. Klitschko said. “This round table was for show.” Vitali Klitschko, the champion boxer who leads the Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reform, put it more bluntly. “Today, the authorities have not considered any of the oppositions’ demands,” he said. “This round table was for show.”
The opposition is demanding the resignation of the government and the revival of talks with Europe. Mr. Yatsenyuk said that they saw no possibility of negotiating with Mr. Yanukovich, but suggested that behind the scenes some members of the Party of Regions, which supported Mr. Yanukovich and controls a majority in Parliament, were now prepared to work against the president and perhaps remove the government. The opposition is demanding the resignation of the government and the revival of talks with Europe. Mr. Yatsenyuk said that they saw no possibility of negotiating with Mr. Yanukovich, but suggested that behind the scenes some members of the Party of Regions, which supported Mr. Yanukovich and controlled a majority in Parliament, were now prepared to work against the president and perhaps remove the government. The statement by Mr. Akhmetov, who is believed to command the loyalty of about 30 to 40 members of Parliament, suggested that such maneuverings could be underway.
The statement by Mr. Akhmetov, who is believed to command the loyalty of about 30 to 40 members of Parliament, suggested that such maneuverings could indeed be underway. On Thursday, another wealthy Ukrainian, Serhiy Tigipko, who is a member of Parliament and former head of the Central Bank, issued a statement outlining steps that Mr. Yanukovich could take, urging no force against protesters, negotiations with protest leaders and a return to the path of European integration.
On Thursday, another wealthy and influential Ukrainian, Serhiy Tigipko, who is a member of Parliament, former economics minister and former head of the Central Bank, issued a statement urging a series of steps that the Ukrainian president could take.
Mr. Tigipko urged no force against protesters, genuine negotiations with protest leaders and a “serious reformatting” of the government that would include returning to the path of European integration.

Oksana Lyachynska contributed reporting.

Oksana Lyachynska contributed reporting.