After the meeting with her Polish counterpart the Chancellor reported that the tense situation in Ukraine had been absolutely top of the agenda, with good reason. The two heads of government were "one hundred per cent in agreement" that it is very important for the European Union to take concerted action.

Far-reaching agreement within the European Union

Europe must speak with one voice, and this is what it is doing. This is demonstrated by the talks held by the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Lady Ashton, and by the Commissioner for Enlargement, Stefan Füle, as well as the numerous Members of the European Parliament who have visited Kyiv.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk also deemed the engagement of the European Union in Ukraine "exceptional". His talks to date with leading politicians of other EU member states have confirmed the "genuinely unique" level of agreement as to how the EU should proceed.

Urgent need for change in Ukraine

With the agreement of Donald Tusk, Angela Merkel explained that Germany and Poland alike seek bilateral contacts to both the Opposition and to President Yanukovych and the Ukrainian administration. The aim must be "to ensure that developments can be peaceful".

"We consider the concerns of the Opposition to be legitimate," stressed the Chancellor. It must be possible to demonstrate peacefully and express one’s opinion, because there is a "great need for change in Ukraine". It is important that the Opposition formulate its demands. For its part the European Union will "do all it can to prevent violence gaining the upper hand."

Words must be followed by action

The Chancellor said that Germany will use its influence as far as possible "to build bridges in this extremely complicated situation". Recent days have shown that this is a concern not only of the people on the Maidan, but in many parts of Ukraine.

President Viktor Yanukovych’s announcement that he intended to annul the anti-demonstration legislation and put in place a legal basis for an amnesty for the demonstrators who have been arrested was thus an important step, said Angela Merkel.

But at the same time it must be noted that although the Ukrainian parliament has passed the pertinent legislation, none of the acts has yet been signed into law by the President. "The first requirement is thus that words must be followed by action," stressed the Chancellor.

Demonstrations must be possible

Secondly the amnesty law passed by the Ukrainian parliament "has strings attached". The terms will, she believes be "very difficult to meet": the complete vacation of the trade union building on the Maidan in Kyiv rented by the Opposition. She can quite understand that these are terms the Opposition cannot accept.

It is right that government buildings must be vacated, said Angela Merkel, but, "The Opposition must have the possibility to conduct demonstrations. Otherwise it is de facto a ban on demonstrations."

In a telephone conversation with President Viktor Yanukovych on Wednesday afternoon Angela Merkel reported that she had told the President, "that I consider this to be an essential demand". She very much regretted that fact that the law was passed in such a way as "not to build the bridge we need to push ahead with a further peaceful development".

Door remains open for Association Agreement with the European Union

"We will support everything which goes in the direction of genuine change," promised the Chancellor. Prime Minister Donald Tusk and she agreed that, "the door remains open for signing the Association Agreement".

She told President Yanukovych this "once again quite clearly" in their last telephone conversation reported Angela Merkel, and nothing has since changed. Progress on this point "would pacify a huge number of people in Ukraine". The starting point of the demonstrations was the clear attitude of a great many people in Ukraine, who have stated that they want to see closer contacts to Europe.

Sanctions not an issue at present

In conjunction with the Association Agreement, the European Union has offered Ukraine "extensive assistance – no other questions are appropriate at the moment," said the Chancellor with a view to the possibility of imposing sanctions. She and Prime Minister Donald Tusk agreed that "the channels for communication between the Opposition and the administration should not be completely capped".

"We are talking to both sides" because "without talks there can be no peaceful solution," underscored the Chancellor. This is currently demanding our full attention. That is why "no other options are currently on the agenda as far as I am concerned – but I do stipulate ‘currently’," said the Chancellor.