Tens of thousands of demonstrators are maintaining a stubborn presence in Kyiv’s Independence Square as the EU says it is halting work on a landmark trade and political pact with Ukraine.

The country’s opposition has called for another large rally on Tuesday after a weekend that saw hundreds of thousands take to the streets to pressure Ukraine’s President Viktor Yanukovych to mend ties with Brussels.

Sofia Borysko, a representative of the students’ movement, said, “our government has shown that it is so unpredictable and even students cannot stop them, so we are worried about ourselves and we have to protect ourselves too.”

Euronews Kyiv bureau chief comments, “Ukraine’s students sparked the protests when they took to the streets a month ago. Since then more have joined their ranks protesting the president’s decision not to sign the association agreement with the EU. Now the demonstrators seem even more determined to heap pressure on President Yanukovych.”

Russia signalled on Monday that it was poised to agree a loan deal with Ukraine.

Yanukovych is due in Moscow Tuesday where he is believed to be seeking something in the range of 10 billion Euros to help the country stave off economic chaos.

But the president’s own parliamentary support is itself becoming chaotic. Members of his party are demanding there be a government reshuffle, accusing Yanukovych of selling Ukraine to the Russians.