US considers sanctions against Ukraine

The US state department has said it is considering all options, including sanctions, towards Ukraine as the political crisis there continues.

It follows attempts by riot police to dislodge anti-government protesters from their strongholds in the capital.

The US warned Ukraine not to use its armed forces against civilians.

US officials say the Ukrainian Defence Minister Pavlo Lebedyev said his government would not use the army against the protesters.

Lebedyev was speaking in a telephone call to US Defence Minister Chuck Hagel, who underlined the potential damage of any involvement by the military in breaking up the demonstrations, according to a US spokesperson.

The weeks of demonstrations in the centre of Kiev have paralysed this country of 46 million people.

Both EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and US Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland were in Kiev on Wednesday and met protesters as well as members of President Victor Yanukovych's government.

"We are considering policy options... sanctions are included but I am not going to outline specifics," said state department spokesperson Jen Psaki.

"There is a range of options that we are open to, but we are not at that point at this stage."

Earlier, US Secretary of State John Kerry expressed "disgust" at the decision by Ukraine's authorities to "meet the peaceful protest... with riot police, bulldozers, and batons, rather than with respect for democratic rights and human dignity".

Police moved in on the main protest camp in Independence Square in the early hours of Wednesday. They dismantled some barriers and tents saying they were trying to free up a passage through the square for traffic.

Protesters in hard hats locked arms to form human walls to try to resist the police push. At least nine people were detained and there were some reports of police using violence.

Eventually the police pulled back from both Independence Square and city hall, where they made an abortive attempt to oust occupying protesters.

President Viktor Yanukovych again invited all parties, including the opposition, for talks on resolving the political crisis.