(VOVworld) – Ukraine’s President Viktor Yanukovych and opposition leaders agreed to a truce and a start to negotiations during a private meeting on Wednesday.
The government will cancel its plan to declare a state of emergency and the opposition will not conduct any more attacks at Independence Square.
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| Smoke rises above Independence Square during anti-government protests in central Kiev on February 19, 2014. (Photo: Reuters) |
The Ukrainian Interior Ministry has confirmed 26 deaths, including 10 policemen, and hundreds of injuries in clashes since Tuesday.
EU foreign ministers convened an emergency meeting to consider sanctions against Kiev, which have been protested by a number of EU members. A diplomatic source reported that even if sanctions are imposed on Ukraine, Yanukovych himself will not be involved, to keep channels of dialogue open.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Angela Merkel in talks Wednesday about Ukraine’s situation promised their concerted efforts to prevent further violence in Ukraine.