Merkel Says Ukraine Must Protect Demonstrators' Lives

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Thursday that Ukraine must safeguard the lives of pro-EU demonstrators following deadly clashes with security forces but rejected calls for fresh sanctions against Kiev.

Merkel sharply condemned the violence, which activists say has left five dead, as well as new Ukrainian legislation barring protests, as the EU debates possible reprisals.

"We expect the Ukrainian government to ensure basic rights -- particularly the possibility to stage peaceful demonstrations, to protect lives, and that violence not be used," she told reporters after a cabinet meeting.

Merkel said Berlin was "extremely concerned and shocked" by Ukraine "rushing through" laws that "question these basic freedoms".

"That is why the German government will work hard to ensure that something that is a basic right, namely the right to demonstrate, can be exercised by the Ukrainian opposition," she said.

"We call for talks between the Ukrainian government and the opposition and I stress once again that it is the responsibility of any government to ensure the possibility of peaceful freedom of expression and that this is, in our view, not possible in Ukraine at the moment or not sufficiently possible," she said.

But Merkel said she and Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier opposed sanctions for the moment.

"We spoke about it and the foreign minister and I believe that sanctions are not currently the order of the day," she said.

"We are in contact with opposition forces via various channels and seeing what Germany can do for now."

The Ukrainian opposition has said President Viktor Yanukovych must agree to three key demands -- the holding of snap presidential elections, the resignation of the government and the annulment of anti-protest laws passed last week -- for a compromise to be reached.

It agreed Thursday to observe an eight-hour truce with security forces but threatened to go on the attack if the government failed to agree concessions.

The head of the European Union executive, Jose Manuel Barroso, warned Ukraine Wednesday of "possible" reprisals after the deaths of the protesters but stopped short of announcing sanctions.

Asked to elaborate on potential retaliation, Barroso said it was "premature" to decide on a course of action which would need to be approved by all 28 member states.