Ukraine crisis: Yanukovych announces 'peace deal' Published duration 21 February 2014

media caption Gabriel Gatehouse witnessed the clashes up close

Ukraine's president says he has reached a deal with the opposition to end the crisis, after all-night talks mediated by three EU foreign ministers.

Viktor Yanukovych's statement said the agreement would be signed later.

However, the French foreign minister voiced caution, saying the deal was not definitive, and the opposition has not confirmed Mr Yanukovych's claim.

Protesters and police are still locked in a stand-off in Kiev, a day after dozens were killed in violent clashes.

Hours after Mr Yanukovych announced the deal, more violence was reported in central Kiev.

The police said they had traded gunfire with protesters, and Ukrainian media said riot police were patrolling inside parliament during a session.

MPs once again began their session with scuffles, as the speaker tried to adjourn a debate concerning constitutional changes.

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.

image copyright AFP image caption Protesters began rebuilding barricades in the Maidan (Independence Square) early on Friday

image copyright Getty Images image caption The stand-off continues as opposition leaders discuss tactics with their colleagues, a day after dozens were shot by police

image copyright Reuters image caption Protesters are once again occupying official buildings, days after vacating them

The foreign ministers of France, Poland and Germany mediated talks between the opposition and government that continued through the night.

Early on Friday, the presidency said "parties agreed on the initialling of an agreement to resolve the crisis" - and the deal was to be signed at 12:00 (10:00 GMT).

Ukrainian MPs said the deal involved constitutional changes to reduce the power of the president, and an early election.

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.

He said all sides at the talks had agreed not to issue a statement before everything had been agreed.

Analysts say that after Thursday's killings, the split between protesters and the government is becoming impossible to bridge.

Mr Fabius said the talks had been difficult because Ukraine "is or was on the verge of civil war".

media caption Activist Kateryna Overchenko explains how the Mikhailivsky monastery in Kiev is now a makeshift hospital

Video footage on Thursday 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 voted to condemn the violence on Thursday in a motion supported by more than 30 members of Mr Yanukovych's Party of Regions.

Mr Yanukovych's authority was also hit by the defection of the mayor of Kiev and the resignation of the armed forces deputy general staff, Gen Yuriy Dumansky.

On Friday morning, a group of security forces personnel arrived in Kiev from the city of Lviv vowing to protect the protesters, after having apparently defected.