Ukrainian government agreed to cancel the "laws of January 16"

Ukraine’s opposing sides reach a deal over anti-protest laws ahead of crucial parliamentary session.

Talks on Monday evening between Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych and opposition leaders appeared to produce a deal to scrap contested anti-protest laws, Euronews reports.

At Tuesday’s special session of parliament the measures will be rediscussed, however analysts say there is no certainty which way a new vote will go.

Opposition leader Vitaly Klitschko emerged from the talks saying the president must be made to realise the extent of the crisis.

“I really don’t want the president to live in an information bubble created by the people around him who say that everything is perfect and that that many things that have been happening are down to just a small group of extremists. In reality the problems that exists in Ukraine, the problems we are facing are a result of mediocre politics across the whole country and it’s stupid to blame a section of the people,” said the boxer turned politician.

Anti-government protesters have a list of demands including for Yanukovych to quit. Concerns are growing of more violence if government concessions fail to materialise.

One protester said: “People want peace, no one wants to fight, but people have taken firm position. They want the laws which serve the people and not the politicians to be adopted. Ukrainians have killed the surf within themselves, these are now free people… they cannot be defeated. Neither politicians nor the bloodshed wrought by the authorities can stop them.”

Both Washington and Brussels have warned Ukraine’s government against inflaming the situation further. The EU’s top diplomat Catherine Ashton is coming to Kyiv to encourage a peaceful resolution to more than two months of unrest.

Photo: ukrafoto.com