The EU Foreign Affairs Council will discuss the situation in Ukraine at a meeting on Monday, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton has said.

"I've been following very closely the events in Ukraine in the last few days. I see that President [Viktor] Yanukovych is going to be talking today with opposition leaders. I hope that that is a positive move forward," she told reporters in Brussels on Monday.

As reported, Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych instructed National Security and Defense Council Secretary Andriy Kliuyev to set up a working group involving Cabinet of Ministers and Presidential Administration representatives to consider the issues on settling the political crisis in the country.

UDAR Party leader Vitali Klitschko said that Yanukovych would meet with opposition leaders on Monday, January 20.