About 200,000 anti- government protesters have converged on the central square of Ukraine’s capital in a dramatic show of morale after nearly four weeks of daily protests.
But the rally was shadowed by suggestions that their goal of closer ties with Europe may be at risk.
A much smaller demonstration of government supporters – about 15,000 – was taking place less than a mile away from Independence Square in Kiev.
Anti-government protesters have set up a tent camp there and erected barricades of snow hardened with freezing water and studded with scrap wood and other junk.
US senators John McCain and Chris Murphy joined the anti-government demonstration to express support for the protesters and their European ambitions, threatening sanctions against the government of President Viktor Yanukovych if more violence was used against the demonstrators.
The protests began on November 21 after Mr Yanukovych announced he was backing away from signing a long-awaited agreement on trade and political ties with the EU and instead focus on Russia.
They have grown in size and intensity after two violent police dispersals.
In the face of the protests, which present a serious challenge to Mr Yanukovych’s leadership, Ukrainian officials this week renewed talks on the EU agreement and promised that they would sign the deal once some issues had been worked out.
But the EU’s top official on expansion issues, Stefan Fuele, cast doubt on this prospect, saying work was “on hold” and that the words and actions of Mr Yanukovych and his government were “further and further apart”.
Mr Yanukovych backed off from the agreement on the grounds that the EU was not providing adequate compensation for potential trades losses with Russia.