Following a Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Brussels, which agreed Conclusions on Ukraine, the Foreign Secretary, William Hague, said:

I deplore the recent violence in Kyiv and call on all parties to exercise restraint. I welcome the news that there will be a cross-party commission to address the crisis. This needs to be a sincere effort on all sides to respond to the concerns that millions of Ukrainians have expressed in peaceful, dignified, civilised protest over recent weeks.

It was a serious mistake to enact legislation that places greater restrictions on fundamental freedoms, and it’s time for President Yanukovych to demonstrate that his commitment to the democratic values and fundamental freedoms which are essential to building a strong and successful Ukraine is genuine. Failure to pursue this path will put increasing obstacles in the way of successful interaction between the Ukrainian administration and the rest of Europe.

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