KIEV (Ukraine): Ukraine’s opposition vowed at a mass rally in Kiev on Friday to maintain pressure on President Viktor Yanukovych to step down after he refused to salvage a key deal with the European Union.

Speaking to around 10,000 supporters, opposition leaders said Yanukovych had until mid-March to sign a political and free trade deal with the bloc.

“We are demanding Yanukovych’s resignation,” said an opposition statement read out at the evening rally by an activist and singer who goes by the stage name Ruslana, in the presence of top leader Arseniy Yatsenyuk and world boxing champion Vitali Klitschko.

“We declare that we are continuing to fight for a European Ukraine,” said the flamboyant singer, who won the Eurovision song contest in 2004.

Klitschko told the flag-waving crowd: “Failure to sign the Association Agreement is state treason.” “Today they stole our hope, the hope to live in a modern European country,” said Klitschko, speaking shortly after returning from a summit with the EU in Vilnius, together with Yatsenyuk and ultra-nationalist leader Oleg Tyagnybok.—AFP