Ukraine president to hold talks with opposition

Ukraine President Viktor Yanukovych has backed holding roundtable talks with the opposition after two weeks of protests and will meet three ex-presidents to discuss the crisis, his press service said.

A protester hammers at a statue of former Soviet leader Vladimir Lenin as others gather around after it was toppled during the pro-European protest in downtown Kiev, Ukraine. (AAP)

Yanukovych supported the initiative of the roundtable proposed by Ukraine's first ex-Soviet president Leonid Kravchuk "which can be a place to reach understanding," the presidential statement said.

"On Tuesday, there is a planned meeting of four presidents of Ukraine... to discuss the key issues the country is facing," it added. Yanukovych will meet Kravchuk, Leonid Kuchma and Viktor Yushchenko.