KIEV, March 3 - Ukraine's central bank will raise its benchmark refinancing rate to 30 percent from 19.5 percent, the head of the central bank said on Tuesday, seeking to rein in rocketing inflation and stem persistent currency weakness, Reuters reported.

KIEV, Feb. 28 – The mission of the International Monetary Fund to Ukraine next week will be headed by the deputy head of the department of the IMF European Department, Nikolay Gueorguiev, who since June 4 last year has been IMF Mission Chief for Ukraine.

BRUSSELS, March 3 - The European Union is ready to sign an Association Agreement with Ukraine when Ukraine is ready, EU Commissioner for Trade Karel De Gucht said at a press conference in Athens after the Informal Foreign Affairs Council/Trade.

WASHINGTON, March 3 - Russian President Vladimir Putin needs to allow international monitors to mediate a deal in Ukraine acceptable to all Ukrainian people, US President Barack Obama said Monday, Reuters reported.

KIEV, March 3 - Ukraine is working on a contingency plan to start imports of natural gas from Europe amid concerns that Russia may shut down its gas supplies completely, Prime Minister Arseniy Yatseniuk said Monday.

NEW YORK, March 3 - Ukraine's ousted leader Viktor Yanukovych has sent a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin requesting that he use Russia's military to restore law and order in Ukraine, Moscow's U.N. envoy told a stormy meeting of the Security Council on Monday.

KIEV, March 1 – It is impossible without government assistance to resolve the current problems of Ukraine's mining and smelting industry, a basic sector of the country's economy, President Viktor Yanukovych said.

KIEV, March 1 – Ukraine has until May to at least start to carry out necessary reforms if it wants to sign an association agreement with the European Union this year, said Jan Tombinski, head of the EU delegation to Ukraine.

"If you read the statement (the joint statement of the EU-Ukraine summit) carefully, it says that the work in this direction should begin by May at the latest.

KIEV, March 1 - President Viktor Yanukovych on Monday will hold natural gas talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow to focus on creating a joint venture that would operate Ukrainian gas pipelines.

KIEV, March 3 – A trial to decide whether to strip jailed former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko’s key defender of his lawmaker status will be held on Tuesday, senior opposition Batkivshchyna party officials said.