Following reports of riot police taking down protest barriers in Kyiv overnight the Foreign Secretary said:
I am deeply concerned by the Ukrainian Government’s decision to send riot police to confront peaceful demonstrators on Independence Square this morning. As we have made clear to the Ukrainian authorities over recent weeks, the concerns of protesters should be met with dialogue not violence. Such action is unacceptable. The United Kingdom stands firmly with the Ukrainian people’s desire for a future built on closer association with their European partners and respect for democratic values.
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