Viktor Yanukovych said that a "huge number of contradictions" must be resolved before his party can join the coalition, but that he would not publicly discuss his party's conditions.
The current governing coalition comprises Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko's bloc, the pro-presidential Our Ukraine-People's Self-Defense, and the Lytvyn bloc led by parliamentary chairman Volodymyr Lytvyn, but lacks sufficient votes to pass laws in the legislature.
"Unlike the Tymoshenko bloc, we never said never, and if it is necessary to overcome the crisis, we will certainly give up our ambitions and make such a decision [to establish a broad coalition]. However, for this a huge number of contradictions need to be discussed, and our opponents need to admit their mistakes," the UNIAN news agency quoted Yanukovych as saying.
The Party of Regions has been blocking legislative work, accusing the authorities of inability to handle the country's economic troubles.
Ukraine has been hard-hit by the global crisis, and has seen unemployment double, the economy shrink by at least 25% in the first two months of 2009 alone, and a collapse in demand for the country's main exports, steel and chemicals. The national currency, the hryvnia, has lost around 40% of its value.
Yanukovych, a former prime minister, also confirmed his intention of running for president later this year.
"I am sure I will run in the presidential elections. How can I fail to put forward my candidacy? I am the leader of a party that currently tops the national ratings," Yanukovych said.
Ukraine's parliament, the Supreme Rada, fixed October 25 as the date of presidential polls, but President Viktor Yushchenko has contested the date with the Supreme Court. The president has pledged to run for re-election, but currently has single-digit support ratings according to national opinion polls. Tymoshenko has also said she will stand for election.
