Ukraine is facing elections after the ruling democratic coalition of parties led by President Viktor Yushchenko and Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko split last week amid political infighting and disagreements on policy toward Russia.
"We have asked our colleagues not to delay the decision too long," Ivan Kyrylenko, who heads the Tymoshenko bloc's parliamentary faction, said, adding he hoped the deal would be agreed on by Monday evening.
Yushchenko came to power in 2004, then strongly supported by Tymoshenko in the street protests known as the "orange revolution."
The factions formerly within the ruling coalition, which also included the Supreme Rada's smallest group, led by former parliamentary speaker Volodymyr Lytvyn, have held new alliance discussions this week.
Yushchenko's Our Ukraine said on Thursday that the coalition has a chance of being established, but added that the bloc was still demanding that a vote on legislation curtailing presidential powers be annulled.
Tymoshenko earlier in the day welcomed the revival of the majority coalition without any demands or ultimatums.
Lytvyn did not attend coalition talks on Thursday, saying the president and premier should settle their differences first.
Ex-Soviet Ukraine has been plagued by political instability since 2004. Tymoshenko has served as premier twice, but has frequently been at odds with Yushchenko.
Russia's conflict with Georgia last month contributed to the crisis in the country. Russia responded to Tbilisi's August 8 attack on breakaway South Ossetia and recognized the region's independence. Its Black Sea Fleet warships, stationed in Ukraine's Sevastopol port, dropped anchors off the Georgian coast during the conflict.
Tymoshenko took a more moderate position on Russia's role in the conflict, accusing the president of damaging ties with the country's neighbor.
On Thursday, however, Tymoshenko moved to deny that differences existed between her and Yushchenko on the issue, saying she shared his and the EU's assessments of the conflict and supported Georgia's territorial integrity.
