KIEV, Dec. 5 – Ukraine has placed 144th out of 176 in the Corruption Perceptions Index 2012 of Transparency International.

According to the organization, this year Ukraine got 26 out of a possible 100 points. The fewer points a country receives the higher level of corruption it has, according to the rating.

KIEV, Dec. 5 – Ukraine hopes for understanding from members of the World Trade Organization on the issue of a revision of tariffs, as it will relate only to 3% of goods in the customs tariff, acting Prime Minister Mykola Azarov said.

KIEV, Dec. 5 – President Viktor Yanukovych said Wednesday that incumbent Prime Minister Mykola Azarov is the among top candidates that may be nominated for the post of prime minister following the resignation of the government on Monday.

KIEV, Dec. 5 – Ukraine and Russia will “probably” conclude an agreement by the end of the month to lower natural gas prices, Russian gas giant Gazprom said in a statement on Monday.

KIEV, Dec. 5 – President Viktor Yanukovych has been steadily losing support among voters over the past four months, but none of his main opponents have gained significantly in the period, an opinion poll shows.

KIEV, Dec. 2 – The National Bank of Ukraine hasn't given up its plans to enhance the flexibility of the hryvnia's forex rate, but it has not yet decided on how many phases of implementation its plans will have, says Valeriy Lytvytsky, the head of a group of advisors to the NBU governor.

KIEV, Dec. 5 – Hundreds of riot police surrounded protesting small business owners early morning on Friday before municipal employees moved in to dismantle their camp in downtown Kiev.

KIEV, Dec. 5 - Ukraine's new government, expected to be formed within the next 10 days, will not have time to drastically change the 2008 budget draft before the end of the year, Parliament Speaker Arseniy Yasteniuk said Wednesday.

KIEV, Dec. 5 - Yulia Tymoshenko, Ukraine's likely new prime minister, on Wednesday criticized the recent natural gas price agreement with Russia as a "failure," and pledged to hold new talks with Moscow after her government is sworn in.

KIEV, Dec. 5 - President Viktor Yushchenko on Wednesday said that the incoming government coalition will have to approve a number of laws fixing imbalances in Ukraine's political system before he can nominate Yulia Tymoshenko as the new prime minister.