US Vice President Joe Biden has asked Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych to abandon the introduction of a state of emergency in the country and pull back security forces from the streets of Kyiv, reads a statement about a phone conversation between Yanukovych and Biden, which was posted on the White House's Web site.
Biden warned Yanukovych against harsh security measures like
declaring a state of emergency and also urged the Ukrainian president to
pull back riot police from the streets and “respond to the Ukrainian
people’s grievances.”
The U.S. politician said that there is no time to lose in bringing
about a peaceful resolution to a standoff between Ukraine’s government
and protesters.
The talks took place at the initiative of the U.S. side. It was Biden’s second call to Yanukovych within a week.
