KIEV, Dec. 7 – Ukraine’s consumer prices rose faster than expected in November amid signs the economy has started to react to the government’s massive borrowing this year to compensate for its budget revenue shortfall.

KIEV, Dec. 7 – President Viktor Yushchenko has asked the Prosecutor General's Office and the Security Service to check the lawfulness of actions of the cabinet and the National Electricity Regulatory Commission in creating Naftogaz Merezhi, a daughter company of national JSC Naftogaz Ukrayiny.

KIEV, Dec. 5 – The Ukrainian government plans to allocate an additional UAH400 million for refunding defaulted Soviet-era deposits.

The cabinet reported that a draft resolution on the allocation was approved at a meeting of the governmental committee for economic policy headed by First Deputy Prime Minister Oleksandr Turchynov.

KIEV, Dec. 4 – President Viktor Yushchenko is very alarmed at the situation in the provision of the economic interests of the state in the exploitation of natural deposits, the presidential press service has reported.

KIEV, Dec. 4 – President Viktor Yushchenko is critical of the latest decisions made by the Ukrainian government on the pharmaceutical sector and is forced to suspend related cabinet resolutions, the presidential press service reported.

KIEV, Dec. 7 ??“ Viktor Baloha, President Viktor Yushchenko??™s chief of staff, was Thursday elected as leader of Our Ukraine to supervise a major re-organization effort at the party in an attempt to boost its popularity.

KIEV, Dec. 7 ??“ The confrontation between President Viktor Yushchenko and the government was set to accelerate after the justice ministry had Thursday challenged the president over his decree re-assuring Boris Tarasiuk??™s authority as the foreign minister.

AMSTERDAM, Dec. 7 ??“ Ukraine has tapped ABN Amro, a major Dutch bank, for financing a number of important energy sector projects, including building a section of an oil pipeline for Caspian Sea oil shipments to Europe.

KIEV, Dec. 7 ??“ U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, visiting Kiev on Wednesday, called Ukraine a strategic partner and pledged support for the country??™s aspirations in joining the World Trade Organization and NATO.

BRUSSELS, Dec. 7 ??“ Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov urged the European Union on Wednesday to put pressure on Ukraine to ensure that Russian natural gas supplies to Europe continue uninterrupted next year.