President Viktor Yanukovych on Friday pledged a reshuffle of the government next week to ease Ukraine's crisis but also threatened to use "all legal methods" if a solution was not found.

When parliament meets in an extraordinary session next Tuesday "we will take a decision about reshuffling the government," he said at a meeting of religious leaders, vowing that parliament would also discuss changes to controversial anti-protest laws.

But in an apparent warning to opposition protesters, he added: "If things turn out good then all is well, but, if not, we will use all legal methods" to resolve the crisis.