Ukrainian riot policemen stand guard in central Kiev on Thursday morning following clashes with pro-Europe protesters the previous night. Frigid temperatures have not put a stop to the increasingly violent protests. On Thursday, Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych called for a crisis session of parliament to address the growing unrest. Protesters are calling for the government to resign. German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday sharply criticized the Yanukovych administration, saying: "We expect the Ukrainian government to guarantee democratic freedoms, particularly the right to peaceful demonstrations, to protect human life and to refrain from using violence."