KIEV, Sept. 17 – Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko’s group on Wednesday began official “consultations” with the pro-Russian Regions Party and two other groups over the creation of a new coalition, a Tymoshenko loyalist said.

This comes as Parliamentary Speaker Arseniy Yatseniuk announced his resignation on Wednesday, putting greater pressure on the groups to forge the coalition that would appoint the new speaker.

The consultations come as a 30-day countdown has begun to form the coalition or face early election following the formal collapse of the pro-Western coalition Tuesday.