Reports: Leader offers concessions in Kiev crisis

MARIA DANILOVA and YURAS KARMANAU

January 24, 2014 at 10:47 AM

Riot police officers block a street in front of barricades of protesters at the monument to Viacheslav Chornovil, a prominent politician in Ukraine and a former Soviet political prisoner, in central Kiev, Ukraine, Friday, Jan. 24, 2014. Protesters have seized a government building in the Ukrainian capital while also maintaining the siege of several governors' offices in the country's west, raising the pressure on the government. After meeting with President Viktor Yanukovych on Thursday, opposition leaders told the crowds that he has promised to ensure the release of dozens of protesters detained after clashes with police and stop further detentions. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

Orthodox priests pray as they stand between pro-European Union activists and police lines in central Kiev, Ukraine, early Friday, Jan. 24, 2014. A top Ukrainian opposition leader on Thursday urged protesters to maintain a shaky cease-fire with police after at least two demonstrators were killed in clashes this week, but some in the crowd appeared defiant, jeering and chanting "revolution" and "shame." (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)

Protesters warm themselves behind the barricade in central Kiev, Ukraine, early Friday Jan. 24, 2014. A top Ukrainian opposition leader on Thursday urged protesters to maintain a shaky cease-fire with police after at least two demonstrators were killed in clashes this week, but some in the crowd appeared defiant, jeering and chanting "revolution" and "shame." (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)

A protester warms himself behind the barricade in central Kiev, Ukraine, early Friday Jan. 24, 2014. A top Ukrainian opposition leader on Thursday urged protesters to maintain a shaky cease-fire with police after at least two demonstrators were killed in clashes this week, but some in the crowd appeared defiant, jeering and chanting "revolution" and "shame." (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)

Protesters stand on the barricade in central Kiev, Ukraine, early Friday Jan. 24, 2014. A top Ukrainian opposition leader on Thursday urged protesters to maintain a shaky cease-fire with police after at least two demonstrators were killed in clashes this week, but some in the crowd appeared defiant, jeering and chanting "revolution" and "shame." (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)

Opposition leader and former WBC heavyweight boxing champion Vitali Klitschko, left, addresses protesters near the barricades between police and protesters in central Kiev, Ukraine, early Friday Jan. 24, 2014. Emerging from hours-long talks with President Viktor Yanukovych, opposition leader Oleh Tyahnybok asked demonstrators in Kiev for several more days of a truce, saying the president has agreed to ensure the release of dozens of detained protesters and stop further detentions. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)

Protesters clean tires from the street as Orthodox priests pray standing between pro-European Union activists and police lines in central Kiev, Ukraine, early Friday, Jan. 24, 2014. A top Ukrainian opposition leader on Thursday urged protesters to maintain a shaky cease-fire with police after at least two demonstrators were killed in clashes this week, but some in the crowd appeared defiant, jeering and chanting "revolution" and "shame." (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)

Protesters warm themselves behind the barricade in central Kiev, Ukraine, early Friday Jan. 24, 2014. top Ukrainian opposition leader on Thursday urged protesters to maintain a shaky cease-fire with police after at least two demonstrators were killed in clashes this week, but some in the crowd appeared defiant, jeering and chanting "revolution" and "shame." (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)

Pro-European Union activists guard the doors of the Ministry of Agricultural Policy building, in Kiev, Ukraine, Friday Jan. 24, 2014. Graffiti reads: "Government for people". Protesters on Friday seized a government building in the Ukrainian capital while also maintaining the siege of several governors’ offices in the country’s west, raising the pressure on the government. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)

A protester wearing improvised protective gear helps a woman cross near the barricade in front of riot police in Kiev, Ukraine, Friday Jan. 24, 2014. Protesters have seized a government building in the Ukrainian capital while also maintaining the siege of several governors' offices in the country's west, raising the pressure on the government. After meeting with President Viktor Yanukovych on Thursday, opposition leaders told the crowds that he has promised to ensure the release of dozens of protesters detained after clashes with police and stop further detentions. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)

Riot police officers block a street in front of barricades of protesters at the monument to Viacheslav Chornovil, a prominent politician in Ukraine and a former Soviet political prisoner, in central Kiev, Ukraine, Friday, Jan. 24, 2014. Protesters have seized a government building in the Ukrainian capital while also maintaining the siege of several governors' offices in the country's west, raising the pressure on the government. After meeting with President Viktor Yanukovych on Thursday, opposition leaders told the crowds that he has promised to ensure the release of dozens of protesters detained after clashes with police and stop further detentions. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

KIEV, Ukraine (AP) — News agencies are reporting that President Viktor Yanukovych has promised a government reshuffle, an amnesty to detained activists and other concessions, after protests against his rule engulfed Ukraine.

At a meeting with religious leaders Friday, Yanukovych vowed that a special parliament meeting next Tuesday will push through changes to the Cabinet, grant amnesty to dozens of jailed activists and change harsh-anti-protest legislation, the Interfax and other news agencies reported.

At least two protesters were killed this week in clashes with police, and protesters seized government offices in scores of cities in the pro-Western part of Ukraine. The two-month-long crisis turned violent after the passage of anti-dissent legislation.

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Reports: Leader offers concessions in Kiev crisis