Poland and EU react to violence in Ukraine
22:49
Poland's Foreign Affairs Minister Radosław Sikorski is in Ukraine and is expected to hold talks about the current situation with the country's top officials, including President Viktor Yanukovych and Foreign Affairs Minister Leonid Kozhara this morning.
Sikorski's visit, commissioned by top EU diplomat Catherine Ashton, is a reaction to an escalation of violenece in the Ukrainian capital. At least 25 people have been killed over the past two days in clashes between the police and protesters. The riots began after police forces tried to block demonstrators from marching into parliament.
In Kiev, Sikorski will be joined by his German and French counterparts. After talks with Ukrainian politicians, the ministers are scheduled to meet in Brussels with all other foreign ministers of the EU. The special session of the foreign ministers' council will be focused on the situation in Ukraine and expected sanctions.
Sanctions were mentioned in Prime Minister Donald Tusk's speech in parliament earlier yesterday. Time has come for tough reaction, he said. The PM also stressed Poland's role in determining the EU's policy towards Ukraine.
In the evening, President Bronisław Komorowski spoke on the phone with Yanukovych. According to the Polish president's office, he appealed for an immediate end to violence. Meanwhile the Ukrainian president presented a plan to solve the political crisis.
