KIEV, Nov. 25 – President Viktor Yanukovych’s administration on Thursday joined talks with protesters after their meeting with the government on Wednesday failed to produce tangible results.

Iryna Akimova, the first deputy chief of staff at the Yanukovych administration, met a group of 10 negotiators representing thousands of small business owners protesting the new tax legislation.

Akimova “listened to our arguments and demands,” Volodymyr Dorosh, one of the leaders of the protest, said after the talks. He said, however, that the protesters were not likely to agree to any compromises.

The new round of talks began as thousands more people had showed up for the protest rally at Maydan Nezalezhnosti square in Kiev on Thursday, demanding that the president veto the legislation.

Between 10,000 and 15,000 are estimated to have showed up for the protest in Kiev on Thursday, and thousands more have joined similar actions across Ukraine.

The protesters demand Yanukovych to veto the tax legislation, known as the Tax Code, which reduces taxes on big corporations but increases tax pressure on small businesses.

Opposition lawmakers estimate that about 1 million small business jobs will be lost after the new tax legislation is enacted, mostly because new taxes and bribes are often making operation unprofitable.

Meanwhile, at the meeting at the presidential administration on Thursday the parties agreed to set up a permanent body that would represent small business owners in future contacts with presidential administration.