KIEV, Sept. 3 – President Viktor Yushchenko, reacting to a mounting political crisis, Wednesday pledged to dismiss Parliament and to call a snap election in Ukraine if lawmakers fail to create a new coalition within the next 40 days.

The announcement comes a day after Our Ukraine-People’s Self-defense, angry over Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko’s anti-Yushchenko alliance with the opposition Regions Party, decided to quit the coalition.

“If the [new] coalition does not take place within the timeframe anticipated by the constitution, I will use my power to dismiss Parliament and to call the early election,” Yushchenko said in a televised announcement.

The Our Ukraine-People’s Self-defense decision late Tuesday triggered a countdown that may shake-up political landscape in Ukraine. The coalition will formally seize to exist in 10 days, after which lawmakers will have 30 days to create the new coalition or to face the dismissal.

The developments underscore increasing gap between Yushchenko and Tymoshenko, most recently over foreign policy.

Tymoshenko refused to condemn Russia for its armed incursion into Georgia last month, occupying some buffer area, the move that Yushchenko and many European leaders believe also threatens Ukraine’s national security and territorial integrity.

Former Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych, the leader of the Regions Party, went even further by saying Ukraine should have followed in Russia’s footsteps to recognize South Ossetia and Abkhazia, the two breakaway regions of Georgia.

Yushchenko, who played an important role in rallying early international support for Georgia, slammed Tymoshenko for her failure on Tuesday to support resolution re-assuring Georgia’s territorial integrity.

“This is a challenge for all of us,” Yushchenko said. “This is humiliation of the Ukrainian people, because this is humiliation of our territorial integrity and our borders.”

But te crisis escalated after Tymoshenko had joined forces with the pro-Russian opposition Regions and Communist parties Tuesday to approve a barrage of bills that undermine Yushchenko’s authority and set the stage for changing the country’s foreign policy.

“This is the moment of truth for each of you and for the country in general,” Yushchenko said. “The Tymoshenko bloc went for the alliance with the Regions Party and the Communists, and non-Ukrainian, I underline, non-Ukrainian and non-state interests lie in the heart of this alliance.”

The office of Yushchenko, citing undisclosed sources, last month alleged that Russia has been planning to spend $1 billion to back Tymoshenko’s bid for the presidency in 2010 in exchange for promoting Russian interests.

The office also alleged that Tymoshenko had set up a secret campaign team in Moscow, joined among other figures by some prominent members of the Regions Party. Tymoshenko denied the allegations.

But Yushchenko said the alliance between Tymoshenko and Yanukovych was a well-planned action.

“The democratic coalition was betrayed by this alliance,” Yushchneko said. “Of course, the collapse of the coalition was a well-planned event.” (tl/ez)