"We talked about the stabilization of the political situation in Ukraine and parliament's work, as well as about the creation of an efficient governance system between parliament, the cabinet and the president," Party of Regions leader Viktor Yanukovych told a news conference after the meeting. "We found common ground on many issues and agreed it was necessary to cooperate."
Yanukovych's party won the largest number of votes in a March parliamentary election, but not enough to form a government. A majority coalition hammered out last week with the Communist Party and the Socialists nominated him for prime minister, but Yushchenko has so far been hesitant about confirming his arch rival in the post.
Yanukovych lost to Yushchenko in a 2004 presidential rerun called in the wake of protests against alleged vote rigging that became known as the "orange revolution."
Earlier on Thursday, Yulia Tymoshenko, Yushchenko's main "orange" revolution ally, led her faction out of parliament, demanding that the president dissolve the legislature to prevent the Yanukovych-led majority from gaining power. Some 120 lawmakers - nearly a third of the 450-seat assembly - followed her out of the hall.
If the standoff continues and no government is formed by July 25 - 60 days after the current assembly's first session - Yushchenko could disband parliament and call a new election.
