In his fourth phone call with embattled Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych in the last month, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden on Feb. 4 encouraged him to find a peaceful and political solution to the current stalemate through dialog and compromise.
"This includes taking immediate steps such as pulling back riot police, releasing detained protesters, and establishing accountability for those responsible for beatings and attacks on journalists and protesters," Biden told Yanukovych, according to a readout of the conversation posted to the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv website.
Here is the full text of the readout:
In a call today with Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, Vice President Biden urged President Yanukovych to take advantage of every opportunity, including offers of international support, to reduce tensions and build trust with the people of Ukraine in order to find a political solution to the crisis. This includes taking immediate steps such as pulling back riot police, releasing detained protesters, and establishing accountability for those responsible for beatings and attacks on journalists and protesters. Vice President Biden emphasized that the only viable path to peace and stability in Ukraine is through continued dialogue and genuine compromise to form a new government that can earn the confidence of the Ukrainian people.
