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A peace agreement signed on Feb. 21 calls for a national unity government. Ukrainian lawmakers voted yesterday to remove Yanukovych, who had left the capital, and to hold elections May 25.

That leaves the door open for Russia to reassert its influence in a possible power vacuum, which has many international observers concerned it may lead to more violence in the former Soviet satellite.

“They need to reform and they need financing,” Rice said of a transition government. “The United States will play a role, along with our partners in Europe.”

She said the International Monetary Fund would be a key player in any financing agreement, and that Russia also may participate.

Alexander said so far Canadian travel bans have been levied against members of Yanukovych’s administration, but Canada will be watching Russia closely.

“We’ve been looking so far at Ukrainians because it has been Ukrainian security forces that are responsible for most of the violence,” he said. “But if there was interference across the border in Europe at this time, that would be a completely different situation and we’d have to look at our options. But the response would be very strong.”

Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird said in a statement Saturday the weekend’s developments were an “important step away from violence” and called on all political sides to honour the agreement to move forward peacefully toward electing a new government. Canadian measures against Yanukovych’s officials will remain in place until “we are certain that the Yanukovych regime is listening to the call of its people and fully following the path to democracy that it has committed to,” he said. “The unity of the Ukrainian people is fundamental at this juncture. Canada stands firmly behind the people of Ukraine, and we will work tirelessly to help rebuild the country in support of its peaceful, European future.”