KIEV
The Ukrainian opposition's demand that President Viktor Yanukovych resign over the refusal of a deal on closer ties with the European Union (EU) is a political mistake and a "strangulation," said Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski.
The unrest and ongoing protests in Ukraine were triggered in November when President Yanukovych rejected to sign "the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement" (DCFTA) offered by the EU. DCFTA was meant to serve as a springboard for Ukraine to become closer to the 28-member bloc, with the possibility of full membership in the future.
Poland's Sikorski called on both the government and opposition to calm down.
Protesters knocked down the statue of Lenin, the Soviet Union's founder, on Sunday in Kiev.
"This may not be diplomatic, but Lenin was one of the bloodiest tyrants of the twentieth century and I am pleased that his statue has fallen in a European capital," he said.
englishnews@aa.com.tr
