KYIV, Dec 23 – The Ministry of Economic Development, Trade and Agriculture of Ukraine expects that the hryvnia exchange rate would strengthen as the agreements with Russia regarding natural gas transit were achieved.

MOSCOW, Dec 21 – Gazprom has agreed to pay an undisclosed amount of money to Ukrainian pipeline operator for natural gas shipping services without waiting until the country’s regulator sets market-based tariffs, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak said Saturday.

LONDON, Dec. 19 – Standard & Poor's Ratings Services has lowered its long-term foreign currency sovereign credit rating on Ukraine to 'CCC-' from 'CCC.'

KIEV, Dec. 22 – Ukraine and the European Investment Bank have signed an agreement on lending EUR 200 million to Ukraine under the Ukraine Early Recovery project.

KIEV, Dec. 22 – The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development is increasing its support for Ukrainian exporters and importers by increasing financing available under its Trade Facilitation Programme (TFP) through Raiffeisen Bank Aval, by $80 million to $150 million.

KIEV, Dec. 22 – The National Bank of Ukraine has suggested that UAH 28 billion should be allocated from Ukraine's national budget in 2015 to recapitalize and nationalize banks.

KIEV, Dec. 23 – Banks which violate capital adequacy requirements after stress testing by the National Bank of Ukraine should increase capital or undergo reorganization, otherwise they will be recognized as insolvent, according to a government-drafted bill on measures to facilitate banks' capitalization and restructuring registered in parliament on Tuesday.

KIEV, Dec. 23 - Ukrainian state energy firm Naftogaz said on Tuesday it had transferred $1.65 billion to Russia's Gazprom - the second tranche of a debt repayment agreed under a deal that saw Moscow resume gas supplies to Ukraine earlier this month, Reuters reported.

KIEV, Dec. 22 - The National Bank of Ukraine has decided to reduce its share of gold in foreign exchange reserves, in line with practices in developing countries, according to Serhiy Ponomarenko, the head of the department for forex transactions management and financial markets analysis at the NBU.

KIEV, Dec. 22 - Political turbulence and fragile external finances weigh on Ukraine's (Caa3 negative) economic prospects and will hinder its ability to cover its upcoming debt maturities in the coming years, Moody's Investors Service said in its annual Ukraine Credit Analysis, published recently.