"The situation is very serious," stated Marcin Wojciechowski, spokesman for the Polish foreign ministry, on Thursday evening.
"We appeal to all sides in the Ukrainian conflict to resume talks and dialogue."
Ukrainian authorities made an ultimatum that if demonstrators had not cleared Independence Square (Maidan) by 6 pm local time "all legal means" would be used.
Armed riot police duly descended, with a concerted push to clear the square.
The violence started on Tuesday morning, when two civilians were injured, with one woman hit in the face by a rubber bullet, and another woman was hit in the chest after police blocked the protesters' path.
However, at about 3.30 pm riot police launched an action on opposition activists' barricades. Opposition leaders claimed that the metro has been blocked by authorities in a bid to stop crowds descending to back protesters.
Nevetheless, by about 5.45 pm, about 20,000 people had gathered on Independence Square.
Today's march on parliament was designed as a means of keeping up pressure on President Viktor Yanukovich to enact reforms, with demonstrators pushing for the leader's powers to be curbed.
Opposition MPs are calling for a vote on the return to the 2004 constitution, by which the president's powers would be markedly diminished.
On Monday, an amnesty had been enforced, after protesters quit their occupation of Kiev's town hall, and some barricades in the vicinity.
However, when protesters found their way blocked to parliament on Tuesday morning, stones were thrown, and police used tear gas and rubber bullets in a bid to disperse the demonstrators.
At about 3.30 pm riot police launched an action on opposition activists' barraicade
Meanwhile, Russia's finance minister Anton Siluanov has pledged to provide Ukraine with 2 billion dollars in aid this week, following on from an earlier promise that in total, 15 billion dollars would be pumped into Ukraine's struggling economy.
Kwasniewski pessimistic about breakthrough
Former Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski has said that President Yanukovich is against reaching any compromise with the opposition because he is aware that it would deprive him of power before next year’s presidential elections.
Addressing a meeting at Berlin’s Adlon Hotel after talks with German President Joachim Gauck, Kwasniewski said that Yanukovich’s aim is to be re-elected for a second term next year.
"I’m afraid that we’ll be witnessing a permanent crisis until election day", he said, adding that the European Union should cooperate with the Ukrainian opposition, urging it to act in unity because it is Yanukovich’s goal to divide the opposition.
In Kwasniewski’s view, the West should focus on preparing itself for the post-election situation in Ukraine.
“If pro-European forces won, Russia would most probably respond with economic sanctions. Brussels should be then ready with both short- and long-term offers for Ukraine, including financial assistance", the former Polish President said.
Kwasniewski and former European Parliament President Pat Cox led a European Parliament monitoring mission to Ukraine following the 2011 imprisonment of former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko. (nh/mk)
Source: IAR