Kerry expresses disgust with treatment of protesters in Ukraine

The United States expresses its "disgust" with the decision of Ukrainian authorities to meet the peaceful protest in Kyiv's Maidan Square with riot police, bulldozers and batons, rather than with respect for democratic rights and human dignity, Secretary of State John Kerry said in a statement on Wednesday. "This response is neither acceptable nor does it befit a democracy," Kerry said. "Last week in Brussels and Moldova, I underscored publicly the importance of all sides avoiding violence and called on President (Viktor) Yanukovych to fulfill the aspirations of the Ukranian people," Kerry said. "We put the government on notice about our concern." As Vice President Joe Biden made clear to Yanukovych during their phone call yesterday, respect for democratic principles, including freedom of assembly, is fundamental to the U.S. approach to Ukraine, Kerry noted. "This is a universal value, not just an American one," Kerry said. "For weeks, we have called on President Yanukovych and his government to listen to the voices of his people who want peace, justice and a European future. Instead, Ukraine's leaders appear tonight to have made a very different choice. "We call for utmost restraint," he added. "Human life must be protected. Ukrainian authorities bear full responsibility for the security of the Ukrainian people." "As church bells ring tonight amid the smoke in the streets of Kyiv, the United States stands with the people of Ukraine," Kerry said. "They deserve better."