Such flames have been a constant for three months, acting as fiery barricades all around Kiev's Maidan, or Independence Square, for protesters. Yet the flames grew more ominous on Tuesday as at least 21 people died in fresh clashes between government forces and activists.
What began with protests over President Viktor Yanukovych's backpedaling from a trade pact with the European Union -- a move that the opposition maligned, accusing Yanukovych of trying to cozy up to Russia rather than the West -- has spawned into something much larger.
In addition to new elections, the opposition is calling for constitutional reforms to transfer more power from the presidency to the parliament.
Yanukovych and his allies have responded with some concessions, even offering places in government to opposition leaders. But on-again, off-again talks have gone nowhere, with the opposition refusing to budge politically and from its positions in the center of Kiev.
None of that changed after a face-to-face meeting overnight between Yanukovych and opposition leader Vitali Klitschko.
Speaking to reporters afterward, Klitschko said there effectively was "no discussion." According to his Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reforms party, the president demanded protesters "stop the standoff" and put down their weapons -- an accusation that Klitschko claimed is unfounded.
"I think the authorities should immediately pull back the police and stop the blood, because people are dying," Klitschko said. "I told Yanukovich this. How can we negotiate when there is blood being spilled? Unfortunately, he does not understand it."
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Deadliest day of political unrest
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