Ukrainian party has buried idea of technocrat government - president's party

Ukraine's Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk delivers a speech during a parliament session in Kiev, Ukraine, February 16, 2016. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich

KIEV (Reuters) - The chances of Ukraine forming a new technocrat government to replace Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk faded on Tuesday after cross-party talks failed to produce a breakthrough, likely prolonging a months-long political crisis.

Yatseniuk's government has been hanging by a thread since three smaller parties quit his coalition and President Petro Poroshenko pushed for the premier to resign. Technocrat Finance Minister Natalia Yaresko was touted as a possible replacement.