KIEV, Sept. 14 ??“ The draft 2007 budget approved by the government on Wednesday foresees the allocation of around UAH25 billion for investment and innovation, First Deputy Prime Minister Mykola Azarov said.

BRUSSELS, Sept. 14 - The European Union is ready to finance joint projects with Ukraine in the energy sector, according to a memorandum signed by Ukrainian and EU officials.

KIEV, Sept. 14 ??“ President Viktor Yushchenko??™s party, Our Ukraine, on Thursday sharply criticized Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych for his plans to postpone accession to NATO, a development that may undermine ongoing government coalition talks.

BRUSSELS, Sept. 14 ??“ Ukraine will probably postpone its accession to NATO in order to prevent a worsening of relations with Russia that would otherwise be inevitable, Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych said Thursday.

KIEV, Sept. 14 - Boris Berezovsky, an exiled Russian billionaire living in Britain, on Wednesday attacked President Viktor Yushchenko by suggesting that he may have contributed $15 million to finance Yushchenko's presidential campaign last year.

KIEV, Sept. 14 - Ukraine's economy will probably grow 4% on the year in 2005, not 6% that had been earlier expected, First Deputy Prime Minister Anatoliy Kinakh said Wednesday after the government had revised its forecast.

KIEV, Sept. 14 - Deutsche Bank AG London has offered up to $2 billion to Ukraine's Transport and Communications Ministry to finance projects, the ministry said in a press release carried by Interfax-Ukraine.

KIEV, Sept. 14 - Oleksandr Hudyma, a member of Parliament's Energy and Fuel Committee, urged the government to reshuffle top management at UkrNafta, the country's biggest oil producer.

KIEV, Sept. 14 - Acting Prime Minister Yuriy Yekhanurov has yet to decide whether to go ahead or postpone auctions selling stakes in major metal companies later this year, a spokesman said Wednesday.

KIEV, Sept. 12 - Ukraine may start selling state assets next year for U.S. dollars, reversing the current practice of selling the assets only for hryvnias, acting Finance Minister Viktor Pynzenyk said Monday.