KIEV, Dec. 16 – Ukrainian metal companies will increase steel smelting by 2.7% in 2014 compared with the expected volumes of steel that will be made in 2013, to 34.2 million tons, Ukrpromzovnishekspertyza state enterprise Director Volodymyr Vlasiuk forecast.

KIEV, Dec. 16 – The large growth in the yield of Ukrainian eurobonds, which increased after the worsening of the political situation in the country, has attracted the attention of players whose core business is bad asset management, investment experts have told Interfax-Ukraine.

Ukraine is now a "problematic asset" they say.

KIEV, Dec. 14 – Ukraine's desire to revise its liabilities as a part of its liabilities to the World Trade Organization in line with Article XXVIII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade is absolutely legal and cannot be an obstacle for the political associations and economic integration with the European Union, according to Valeriy Piatnytsky the Ukrainian government's envoy for European integration.

KIEV, Dec. 14 - Ukraine will probably before the end of December sign production sharing agreements with Chevron and Shell over development of shale gas deposits, Environment and Natural Resources Minister Eduard Stavytskiy said Friday.

KIEV, Dec. 13 - The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development announced it has signed an agreement on the issue of up to EUR 41 million to the Ukrainian State Air Traffic Service Enterprise (UkSATSE) to finance the modernization of the air navigation system.

KIEV, Dec. 13 – The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development will provide a $70 million loan to Coal Energy S.A., a Luxemburg company with assets in Ukraine.

KIEV, Dec. 13 - Eco-Optima has been forced to reconsider the construction of a wind farm in Starosambir district (Lviv region) because of the bankruptcy of Germany's Fuhrlander AG, a wind turbine supplier, Eco-Optima Deputy Director Yaroslav Shpak told Interfax-Ukraine.

KIEV, Dec. 13 - Eco-Optima has completed the construction of the first stage of the Sambir solar power plant (Lviv region) with a capacity of 1.1 MW, company Deputy Director Yaroslav Shpak told Interfax-Ukraine.

KIEV, Dec. 13 – The privatization of state coal companies in 2013 will cut budget expenditures in the form of subsidies to the coal sector by UAH 4.7 billion, the Finance Ministry said on Thursday.

KIEV, Dec. 16 - The Ukrainian cabinet has decided to sign an amicable agreement with Bryansk Engineering Plant managing company (Russia), the owner of a 76% stake in OJSC Luhanskteplovoz Holding.

"Yes, the decision has been made. The decision opens a normal way for the plant's operation. We're interested in normal operation of the plant," Prime Minister Mykola Azarov said.