US President Barack Obama Held “constructive” talks with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, hours after deal between Ukrainian government and opposition was announced in Kiev.

US President Barack Obama Held “constructive” talks with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, hours after deal between Ukrainian government and opposition was announced in Kiev.

A senior US official described the call as "constructive," but also warned that the agreement reached in Kiev was "very, very fragile."
Putin and Obama agreed that the Ukraine agreement needed to be swiftly implemented and that all sides needed to refrain from violence, as they also pressed for the need to stabilize the economy.

The call touched on other issues as well, including Syria and the Sochi Winter Olympics.
The White House gave an initial welcome to the deal and praised European Union diplomats who helped to broker it.

White House spokesman Jay Carney said the deal was "consistent with what we have advocated in calling for a de-escalation of the violence, constitutional change, a coalition government and early elections."

"We call for immediate implementation of the initial steps -- an end to the violence, amnesty and security normalization, and passage of the constitutional package in (parliament) -- to provide space for the negotiations to begin on formation of a technocratic coalition government," Carney said.

Vice President Joe Biden had called President Viktor Yanukovych on Thursday, warning that the United States was ready to impose sanctions if he did not halt attacks by his security forces on demonstrators which have killed nearly 100 people.

Yanukovych's dramatic decision to hold early elections and form a new unity government was met with caution by tens of thousands gathered on central Kiev's main square.

The deal was signed in the presence of EU envoys, Yanukovych and three top opposition leaders who included boxer turned lawmaker Vitali Klitschko.
A representative for Putin missed the meeting. The White House statement, however, said the deal had been "witnessed" by Russia.