BRUSSELS, Feb 19 (Reuters) - NATO's top military commander appealed to Ukraine's leaders on Wednesday to avoid using military force against their people and called for dialogue with the country's new military leadership.
In Twitter messages, U.S. Air Force General Philip Breedlove, NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe, asked that "responsible leaders avoid the use of military force against the people of Ukraine."
"I am calling upon the new military leadership in Ukraine to open a dialogue with us to bring this situation to a peaceful resolution," Breedlove said.
Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich earlier appointed a new head of the armed forces general staff after street clashes between protesters and police in which at least 26 people have been killed since Tuesday. [ID:nL6N0LO4I} (Reporting by Adrian Croft; editing by Foo Yun Chee)
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