Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Friday rebuked the European Union for trying to extend its "sphere of influence" amid deteriorating relations over the political crisis in Kiev.

"Pressuring Ukraine in one direction, while warning that it faces an 'either-or' choice -- either the EU or Russia -- is essentially trying to create a sphere of influence," Lavrov said at a press conference with his German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who is on a two-day visit to Moscow.

EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fuele on Thursday called on Ukraine to take "urgent steps" to form a new government and reform the constitution, key opposition demands in the crisis-hit country.

Fuele arrived in Kiev on Tuesday for talks with President Viktor Yanukovych, opposition leaders and members of civil society, in a bid to help defuse the nearly three-month-long standoff between authorities and anti-government protesters.

Ukraine's opposition on Wednesday criticized the amnesty of two top officials charged with abuse of power for pushing the police chief to use force against anti-government protesters.

Volodymyr Sivkovych, deputy secretary of Ukraine's national security and defense council, and Oleksandr Popov, the head of Kiev city administration, were suspended in December over a violent crackdown on demonstrators camping on Kiev's central Independence Square on the night of November 30.

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier will visit his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov for two days from Thursday to discuss issues including Ukraine's political crisis, a spokesman said.

"Ukraine is of course one of the important topics on the agenda," said the foreign ministry spokesman on Wednesday, also mentioning Iran's nuclear program, the Syrian war and bilateral as well as EU-Russian ties.

The U.S. House of Representatives on Monday passed a resolution in support of the people of Ukraine, urging all parties in the former Soviet state to work for peace.

The text, adopted in a 381-2 vote, says that the House supports "the Ukrainian people's struggle to build an independent, democratic, and strong Ukraine that is free from foreign meddling."

Russia will release the next installment of its $15-billion loan to Ukraine at the end of the month, a newspaper close to President Viktor Yanukovych said Monday, following talks between Ukraine's leader and his Russian counterpart.

The bailout was promised to Ukraine in December after Yanukovych rejected an EU trade and political pact in favor of closer ties with Russia, a move that triggered widespread protests and led to the resignation of the prime minister.

Dozens of people marched through central Kiev on Sunday pledging their support for Russia's top opposition television channel Dozhd (TV Rain), which is threatened with closure.

Several providers have recently dropped the independent Internet and cable channel -- known for its critical coverage of President Vladimir Putin -- from their television packages in what the station has called a campaign of intimidation.

Protestors in Ukraine readied for a fresh mass demonstration Sunday as they ratcheted up the pressure on embattled leader Viktor Yanukovych to appoint a new pro-Western government and take a more conciliatory approach towards the European Union.

After a blessing by religious leaders, rock music blared out on Kiev's Independence Square -- where protesters have been camping out for months -- ahead of the demonstration due to kick off at midday (1000 GMT) in the brisk cold.

Ukraine on Saturday launched a terror probe into a bid by an apparently drunk man to force an airliner flying to Turkey to land in Sochi where leaders gathered for the opening of the Winter Olympic Games.

"We have launched an investigation into an attempt to commit an act of terror and an attempt to hijack a plane," Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) investigative department chief Maxim Lenko told reporters.

Ukraine's embattled President Viktor Yanukovych returned to protest-hit Kiev on Saturday after holding private talks with his Russian counterpart and ally Vladimir Putin about a suspended Moscow bailout loan.

The late Friday chat on the sidelines of the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympic Games in Russia's Black Sea resort of Sochi came amid intensifying pressure from the opposition on Yanukovych to cede some of his broad powers and appoint a new pro-Western government.