You're reading: New York Daily News: Truce! Yanukovych meets with opposition leaders

 The 'glimmer of hope' breakthrough comes after two days of violence that left 26 Ukrainians dead and hours after President Obama warns of 'consequences' if violence escalates further.

 Ukraine’s embattled president called a “truce” on Wednesday just as his country appeared to be sliding into a bloody civil war. 

In a statement on his presidential website, Yanukovych called for “the start to negotiations with the aim of ending bloodshed, and stabilizing the situation in the state in the interests of social peace.”

Later he met with the foreign ministers of Poland, Germany and France.

So far Russian president Vladimir Putin, who is Yanukovych’s main backer, has not weighed-in on the fast-moving developments. But earlier, the Kremlin accused the West of attempting a “coup” and fomenting the revolt against Yanukovych.

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