KIEV, March 27 - Ukraine will seek assurances from the European Union that its natural gas transportation system will continue to be a key shipper of Russian gas to markets in Europe, a senior official said Tuesday.

KIEV, March 26 – Naftogaz has predicted a reduction in the price of Russian natural gas in the second quarter, Naftogaz Deputy CEO Vadym Chuprun said.

KIEV, March 26 – A new law on the system of individuals' deposit guarantees, which establishes clear compensation conditions, will increase the confidence of depositors in Ukrainian banks, Moody's Investors Service said.

KIEV, March 27 – The Agricultural Policy and Food Ministry, jointly with the Energy and Coal Industry Ministry, is drawing up a draft law stimulating production and consumption of biofuel.

KIEV, March 25 – The National Energy Regulatory Commission has postponed consideration of an increase in gas prices for households, said Serhiy Tytenko, the commission's head.

KIEV, March 25 - Ukraine’s energy and coal industry ministry suggested eliminating the value added tax (VAT) on imports of crude oil and cutting excise taxes on gasoline to encourage domestic oil refining.

KIEV, March 24 – Ukraine's gross domestic product will grow by about 4.5% per annum in 2011 and 2012, the National Bank of Ukraine forecasts.

KIEV, March 24 - The National Energy Regulatory Commission has issued a license for electricity generation to the first wind farm in Ukraine equipped with modern 2.5 MW wind turbines to Novoazovsky wind farm (Donetsk region).

KIEV, March 24 – Forty-two fuel assemblies made by U.S. Westinghouse have been declared satisfactory after one year of use in the core of reactor three of Yuzhnoukrainsk nuclear power plant following an inspection, EnergoAtom reported.

KIEV, March 25 – A Ukrainian-Russian intergovernmental working group has held the first stage of a meeting in Kiev to draw up a plan of joint action to settle the conflict over public JSC Ukrtatnafta (Kremenchuk oil refinery, Poltava region), Ukraine’s energy and coal ministry reported.