Feb. 19, 11:20 p.m. — Ukrainina President Viktor Yanukovych held a meeting with Verkhovna Rada speaker Volodymyr Rybak, presidential chief of staff Andriy Klyuyev, deputy chief of staff Andriy Portnov, Acting Justice Minister Olena Lukash and opposition leaders Arseniy Yatsenyuk, Vitali Klitschko and Oleh Tiahnybok.

Following the meeting, the parties declared a truce and announced the start of the negotiations aimed at ending bloodshed and stabilizing the situation for the sake of peace, according to a statement on the president’s official website. — Olena Goncharova