White house condemns violence in Kiev, urges all sides to de-escalate

The United States condemns the violence taking place in Kiev, and continues to urge all sides to immediately de-escalate the situation and refrain from violence, White House press secretary Jay Carney said on Thursday. Additional sanctions may be sought against Ukraine if government violence continues, Carney said.U.S. officials welcome the news that Ukraine President Viktor Yanukovych is meeting directly with opposition leaders, Carney said during a briefing."Political dialogue to address the legitimate concerns of the Ukrainian people is the necessary first step toward resolving this crisis," he said. "Next we need to see concrete steps taken by the government." The increasing tension in Ukraine is a direct consequence of the government failing to acknowledge the legitimate grievances of its people, Carney said. "Instead, it has moved to weaken the foundations of Ukraine's democracy by criminalizing peaceful protest and stripping civil society and political opponents of key democratic protections under the law," he added."We urge the government of Ukraine to take steps that represent a better way forward, including repeal of the anti-democratic legislation signed into law in recent days, withdrawing the riot police from downtown Kiev and beginning a dialogue with the political opposition," Carney said.From its first days, the Maidan movement in Ukraine has been defined by a spirit of nonviolence, "and we support calls by opposition political leaders to re-establish that principle," he said.The United States will continue to consider additional steps, including sanctions, in response to the use of violence in Ukraine, he added.