LONDON, Nov. 26 (UPI) -- The British government Tuesday warned its citizens who may be in Ukraine to take extra precautions, given the possibility of violent protests in the county.
"Protests and demonstrations are occurring in Kiev and many other cities," the warning from the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office said. "Some of these have resulted in scuffles between demonstrators and the police."
Protests erupted last weekend when Ukrainian legislators voted to shelve efforts to sign association and free trade agreements with the European Union.
British Foreign Secretary William Hague said in a statement last week the decision was "a missed opportunity" for Kiev.
Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych said this week he still plans to attend an EU summit slated for this week in Vilnius, Lithuania. The EU said the door was open to Kiev if it showed the political will to move forward with the deal.
The EU has expressed concern over Ukraine's political and judicial system. Kiev passed several measures to allay EU concerns but balked on a deal that would let jailed former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko get medical treatment abroad.
Tymoshenko was sentenced to seven years in prison in 2011 on corruption charges she says were politically motivated. She's an influential opposition leader who lost to Yanukovych in 2010.
