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Police and protesters in Kiev demonstrating in favor of the former Soviet nation's greater integration with Europe clashed again Monday evening, as the Ukrainian president sought to calm moods by vowing his country would eventually pursue a European model of development, RIA Novosti reported. 

Riot police deployed tear gas in Yevropeiskaya Square in the capital, which has served as the gathering for Ukrainians angered by a government decision to suspend preparations for EU association agreements that had been due to be concluded this week.

Ratcheting up tensions even further, jailed former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko announced she is going on hunger strike until the EU deal is unblocked.

According to eyewitness reports, demonstrators on Yevropeiskaya Square surrounded a van they believed to be carrying security service officers, precipitating a violent standoff with police.

Opposition politicians at the scene negotiated a halt to clashes, but this was the second incident of unrest in the capital in the space of one day.

In the morning, police used tear gas and batons to disperse a crowd around the government headquarters after numerous protesters hurled rocks and tried to tear off officers’ helmets.

Media reports said that up to 100,000 people had gathered in the capital, Kiev, in rallies that lasted throughout the weekend in the largest demonstrations since the 2004-2005 Orange Revolution, which was sparked by anger over a rigged presidential election.

Protests have also taken place in a number of towns and cities across Ukraine.

Seeking to strike a reassuring note, Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych said in a statement Monday evening that nobody could prevent his country from going along its Europe-bound destiny.

“No one will rob us of the dream of a Ukraine of equal opportunities – a European Ukraine,” Yanukovych said. “Just as no one will push us away from the righteous road that leads us to this dream.”

“I want peace and quiet to be in our big Ukrainian family,” Yanukovych said.

“Like a father cannot leave his family without bread, I have no right to leave people to the mercy of fate with the problems that may arise if production stops under the pressure we feel and millions of citizens are thrown out to the streets,” he said.

Noting that in that situation, he has to “resort to complex solutions,” Yanukovych said he would “never take a single step to the detriment of Ukraine and the people.”