In hopes of ending a deadly political crisis, a deal was signed for early elections and a new government by Ukraine's opposition with the president and European and Russian mediators on Friday, the Associated Press reported.
In a months-long crisis over Ukraine's future and identity that worsened sharply this week and left scores dead in the worst violence in Ukraine's history as an independent nation, this could be the breakthrough that could solve the crisis.
But it remains to be seen whether the proposal satisfies the thousands of protestors camped out in Kiev, according to the AP.
The leader of a radical group that has been a driver of violent clashes with police, Pravy Sektor, said Friday he doesn't believe President Viktor Yanukovych will honor the deal and "the national revolution will continue," according to the Interfax news agency.
Instead of the scheduled March 2015 election date, the agreement declared that presidential election will be moved to no later than December, according to a copy provided by the German government.
"It says Ukrainian authorities will restore within 48 hours a previous constitution that limits presidential powers, then name a coalition government within 10 days," the AP reported. "It also says the government will not impose a state of emergency and both sides will refrain from violence. It says opposition protesters should hand over any weapons and withdraw from buildings they have occupied and protest camps around the country.
The signing came hours after Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych made concessions under pressure from European mediators."
Claiming that they want Yanukovych out of the presidency immediately, some protestors weren't happy with the talk of early elections in December and thought it wasn't soon enough.
The standoff began when the president aborted a pact with the European Union in November in favor of close ties with Russia instead, the AP reported.
European foreign ministers had stayed up all night in Kiev trying to negotiate an end to the standoff. Russia and the EU would act as observers to ensure that it is implemented if an agreement is signed, an EU official in Brussels said.
The U.S., Russia and European Union are deeply concerned about the future of Ukraine, a nation of 46 million that has divided loyalties between Russia and the West.
According to the AP, shots were heard again Friday near the protesters' camp in Kiev, a day after the deadliest violence in Ukraine's post-Soviet history. It is unclear who was targeted and whether anyone was hurt or injured in Friday's incident.
"Protesters across the country are upset over corruption in Ukraine, the lack of democratic rights and the country's ailing economy, which just barely avoided bankruptcy with the first disbursement of a $15 billion bailout promised by Russia," the AP reported.
Ukraine's economic troubles have only been worsened with the violence.
If there are no significant improvements in the political crisis, the country's debt rating will likely default, ratings agency Standard & Poor's, who downgraded Ukraine's debt rating, said Friday.
