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Ukraine crisis: Yanukovych announces 'peace deal' Ukraine crisis: Yanukovych announces 'peace deal'
(35 minutes later)
Ukraine's president says he has reached a deal with the opposition to end the crisis, after all-night talks mediated by EU foreign ministers.Ukraine's president says he has reached a deal with the opposition to end the crisis, after all-night talks mediated by EU foreign ministers.
Viktor Yanukovych's website said the deal would be signed later, but the opposition has not confirmed the claim. Viktor Yanukovych's statement said the deal would be signed later, but the opposition has not confirmed the claim.
Protesters and police are still locked in a stand-off in Kiev, a day after dozens were killed in violent clashes.Protesters and police are still locked in a stand-off in Kiev, a day after dozens were killed in violent clashes.
On Thursday, EU foreign ministers said in a statement sanctions would be put on some officials over the violence. On Thursday, EU foreign ministers said sanctions would be imposed on some Ukrainian officials over the violence.
The US has warned Kiev that it would follow suit.The US has warned Kiev that it would follow suit.
Thursday was the bloodiest day since the unrest began in November, with many of the anti-government protesters reportedly killed by police snipers.
In all, 77 people - including policemen - have been killed since the violence first flared up on Tuesday, Ukraine's health ministry said.
Another 577 were injured.
Protesters had captured 67 police, the interior ministry said. A number of them were later released.
'Forces of peace'
On Thursday, the foreign ministers of France, Poland and Germany conducted several hours of discussions with Mr Yanukovych on a "roadmap towards a political solution" before going on to talks with opposition leaders.
They returned for another meeting with Mr Yanukovych in the evening and the talks continued late into the night.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Mr Yanukovych had expressed willingness to hold early elections this year.
Mr Yanukovych's aide Hanna Herman was later quoted as saying that the president was ready to make concessions to "restore peace".
She added that "forces of peace" among presidential advisers defeated the "hawks".
The snap presidential and parliamentary elections are one of the key demands by Maidan activists and opposition leaders.
Currently, the presidential poll is scheduled for next year.
'Dismay'
Also on Thursday, the statement from an emergency EU foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels said "no circumstances can justify the repression we are currently witnessing".
EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said the "prime responsibility" to get talks between the two sides under way lay with President Yanukovych.
She said ministers had expressed their "dismay" at the latest violence and had agreed to "suspend export licences for equipment for internal repression".
Implementation of the measures "will be taken forward in light of developments in Ukraine", she added.
The EU had until now refrained from imposing sanctions, preferring to emphasise dialogue and compromise.
US Vice President Joe Biden also warned President Yanukovych in a telephone conversation that Washington was ready to impose sanctions against Ukrainian officials guilty of ordering troops to fire on protesters.
The US state department had already announced visa bans on 20 members of the Ukrainian government but has not provided any names.
Live rounds
Dozens of protesters were killed by security forces in Kiev on Thursday following the breakdown of a truce the previous day.
Activists and doctors working in protester camps suggested the death toll could be as high as 100 and would rise further.
A number of bodies of protesters killed on Thursday were brought to the Maidan (Independence Square), the BBC's Duncan Crawford in Kiev reports.
Assembled crowds shouted "Martyrs!" and "Heroes!", with some protesters in tears, our correspondent adds.
Witnesses have told the BBC that some of those killed died as a result of single gunshot wounds, typical of sniper fire.
Video footage has emerged apparently showing snipers firing on demonstrators who had been trying to retake their protest camp in Independence Square.
The authorities said one policeman had died, however an activist reported that as many 10 police officers had been killed.
Officials said more than 20 policemen had also been injured.
Witnesses reported live rounds, petrol bombs and water cannon being used at Independence Square during Thursday morning's clashes.
Some armed demonstrators were also reported to be firing towards security forces.
Gunshots pierced the windows of rooms at the Ukraina Hotel, which is serving as the base for all foreign media in Kiev, including the BBC.
A statement on the presidential website blamed the opposition for starting the violence, saying the "calls for a truce and dialogue were nothing but a way of playing for time to mobilise and arm militants from Maidan".
MPs assembled for a session of parliament on Thursday afternoon voted to condemn the recent violence.
They also called for the use of weapons against protesters to be banned, and for troops and police deployed against them to be withdrawn.
The session was attended by 239 out of 450 MPs, most of them from opposition parties. But there were also dozens from the pro-Presidential Party of Regions.
The protests first erupted in late November when President Yanukovych rejected a landmark association and trade deal with the EU in favour of closer ties with Russia.The protests first erupted in late November when President Yanukovych rejected a landmark association and trade deal with the EU in favour of closer ties with Russia.
Thursday was the bloodiest day since the unrest began.
Police opened fire after protesters tried to push them away from the makeshift camps they have been occupying in central Kiev.
The health ministry said 77 people had been killed since Tuesday, and another 577 were injured.
But activists suggested the death toll was likely to be much higher.
Early election mooted
On Thursday, the foreign ministers of France, Poland and Germany conducted several hours of discussions with Mr Yanukovych on a "road-map towards a political solution" before going on to talks with opposition leaders.
They returned for another meeting with Mr Yanukovych in the evening and the talks continued through the night.
Early on Friday, the presidency said "parties agreed on the initialling of an agreement to resolve the crisis", but gave no further details.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk had earlier said Mr Yanukovych had been willing to hold an early election, which is one of the protesters' main demands.
The opposition has not said anything to confirm the government's claim of a deal.
French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, who was involved in the talks, said he would be "cautious" about announcing any deal.
"The opposition, in particular, wants to be able to consult with some of its members, which is completely understandable," he said.
Earlier in the crisis, opposition leaders refused to agree anything with the government until they gained the approval of protesters.
Analysts say that after Thursday's killings, the split between protesters and the government is becoming impossible to bridge.
Video footage showed protesters walking directly towards the police, even as they fired handguns and rifles.
Police also shot protesters who went to help wounded colleagues.
Some of the protesters were armed with hunting rifles, and some threw petrol bombs.
There were also reports that dozens of police had been taken hostage.
But most of the protesters were unarmed, and tried to protect themselves from the bullets with homemade shields.
MPs assembled for a session of parliament on Thursday afternoon voted to condemn the violence.
They also called for the use of weapons against protesters to be banned, and for troops and police deployed against them to be withdrawn.
The session was attended by 239 out of 450 MPs, most of them from opposition parties.
A presidential statement blamed the opposition for the violence, and dismissed calls for a truce as "nothing but a way of playing for time to mobilise and arm militants".
Are you in Ukraine? Have you seen or taken part in any of the protests? Email your stories to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with the subject heading 'Ukraine'.Are you in Ukraine? Have you seen or taken part in any of the protests? Email your stories to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with the subject heading 'Ukraine'.
Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here.Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here.
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