KIEV, July 8 (RIA Novosti) - Ukraine's pro-Russian Party of Regions led by Viktor Yanukovich has opened negotiations with the pro-presidential Our Ukraine grouping on joining a new parliamentary coalition, a senior party official said Saturday.

The Party of Regions, which won the largest number of votes in a March election, but not enough to form a government on its own, Friday formed a parliament coalition with two other leftist parties and had its leader nominated as prime minister.

"We are in ongoing dialogue with [Anatoliy] Kinakh and [Yuriy] Yekhanurov," said Yevhen Kushnarev. "We hope that some of Our Ukraine founding members will join the coalition."

He said 233 signatures had already been put on a coalition agreement between the Party of Regions, Socialists and Communists, adding that Our Ukraine should join the coalition if it wanted to get involved in the division of official positions.

Another Party of Regions leader said the political standoff with Russia should be brought to an end.

"We should end this stupid confrontation with Russia which has hurt the economy," Taras Chornovil said. "As we should learn to talk with Europe as equal partners."