French PM hopes for EU 'strong decision' on Ukraine

French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault on Thursday hoped European leaders would take "strong decisions" on Ukraine to resume political dialogue. "I hope that a strong decision on graduated and targeted sanctions will be taken," Ayrault said, adding that European Union (EU) "will do everything to find the path of dialogue." In an interview with French radio France Info, he called on European leaders to "speak frankly" with Russia in bids to end the political deadlock in Ukraine. In a statement issued late on Wednesday, Yanukovich announced an accord with opposition leaders for "the start to negotiations with the aim of ending bloodshed, and stabilizing the situation in the state in the interest of social peace." However, a new wave of violence erupted on Thursday in Kiev. At least seven people were killed in clashes in central Kiev on Thursday morning, bringing the death toll of the three-day violence to 35, said the Ukrainian Health Ministry. In a visit to Ukraine with his German and Polish counterparts to ease tensions, French Foreign Affairs Minister Laurent Fabius would offer a range of sanctions and enticements to the Ukrainian regime to reach a compromise paving the way to constitutional reform and elections. Speaking to the local broadcaster Europe1, Fabius stressed "the role of Europe to ensure that (Ukrainian) authorities really move and accept the dialogue which they have not done so far." According to Fabius, the presumed sanctions on Ukraine would include cancellation of visas and freezing assets of some people. Ukraine plunged into a chaotic violence as the government backtracked on European integration, which angered many in the west of Ukraine.