Ukraine crisis deepens after talks collapse

Ukraine’s crisis deepened tonight when the opposition abruptly broke off compromise talks over the tainted presidential election after pro-government MPs blocked a no-confidence motion seeking to topple the prime minister.

The opposition’s rejection of the talks raises pressure on Ukrainian authorities, while Russian President Vladimir Putin said the crisis in the former Soviet republic must be resolved without foreign meddling.

The Supreme Court was wrapping up a second day of hearings with no sign of a decision on an opposition appeal to annul the election which gave pro-Moscow Premier Viktor Yanukovych victory by 871,402 votes.

Ukraine’s government has been paralysed since the election result sent hundreds of thousands into the streets of the capital, Kiev, for round-the-clock protests in support of opposition candidate Viktor Yushchenko, who claims he was robbed of victory by ballot rigging.

Putin told German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder today that “an exit from the crisis should be found in a democratic way, that is, on the basis of observing the law and not under external or internal pressure based on political passions.”

Russia considers the energy-dependent Ukraine part of its sphere of influence and a buffer with Nato’s eastern flank and the political crisis has deepened the political tug-of-war between Moscow and the West.

Por-West Yushchenko’s campaign chief, Oleksandr Zinchenko, announced tonight that he was breaking off talks with Yanukovych. The talks began last week under the mediation of EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana and Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski.

Solana was set to arrive in Kiev tonight for another round of talks and is to be joined by Kwasniewski tomorrow.

Zinchenko’s spoke after government MPs blocked the opposition’s attempted no-confidence vote in Yanukovych’s Cabinet.

MPs also tentatively approved a resolution that would cancel a non-binding decision to declare the election results invalid, prompting demonstrators massed outside to try to storm the session.

Protesters – some crawling on top of each other’s shoulders – got as far as the lobby of the building before police pushed them back. Yushchenko also addressed the demonstrators in an effort to calm tensions.

In an apparent bid to compromise, Yanukovych said that if he becomes president, he will offer Yushchenko the the prime minister’s job.

Yushchenko quickly brushed off the offer, saying he wants to focus on the vote fraud.

“The election was rigged,” he said. “People are asking whether this country has a political elite capable of upholding a fair vote.”

Threats to Ukraine’s unity, meanwhile, seemed to dissipate after the eastern Donetsk region said it would not hold its referendum on self-rule as planned for Sunday.

The Supreme Court began hearing the opposition appeal on Monday, but officials have said a decision could take several