Ukraine’s three political opposition leaders rejected a proposal by President Viktor Yanukovych to end the nation’s political crisis because it did not include early presidential elections or cancellation of the Jan. 16 laws curbing free speech and free assembly.

In three hours of talks, Yanukovych on Jan. 25 agreed to dismiss Mykola Azarov as prime minister and appoint opposition leader Arseniy Yatseniuk instead, with fellow opposition leader Vitali Klitschko as deputy prime minister. Yanukovych also agreed to release detainees arrested during more than two months of anti-government demonstrations.