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Ukraine presidency says deal reached on crisis, opposition silent | Reuters

Ukraine's presidency said on Friday a deal had been reached at all-night talks on resolving the country's crisis after 75 people were killed in two days of the worst violence since Soviet times.

But the opposition did not immediately confirm agreement had been reached and diplomatic sources described the talks brokered by three European Union ministers as "very difficult".

Yanukovich's press service said in a statement that agreement had been reached at the talks and added: "The agreement will be signed at midday (1000 GMT)."

EU officials went into the talks on Thursday hoping a plan for an interim government and early elections could bring peace.

France's foreign minister said late on Thursday there was still no agreement over a proposed road map to ease the crisis, which began in November after Yanukovich spurned a trade deal with the European Union and turned instead towards Moscow.

Violence flares as Ukraine politicians weigh deal | Reuters

Violence flared again in Kiev on Friday as Ukraine's opposition politicians pondered a draft deal with Russian-backed President Viktor Yanukovich which EU foreign ministers brokered to resolve the country's political crisis.