KIEV, March 1 ??“ The government on Thursday approved 2007 budget amendments seeking to increase minimum wages and pensions, but the move may also widen this year??™s budget deficit to a dangerous level, officials said.

MOSCOW, March 1 - Gazprom will seek to sign direct contracts with Ukrainian consumers of natural gas in a move that mat eventually replace RosUkrEnergo, a well-connected gas trader, from the business, a Gazprom official said.

BERLIN, Feb. 28 - Ukraine's European Union membership aspirations do not negatively impact its relations with Russia, Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych said.

WARSAW, March 1 - Poland is in talks with partners in Germany, Denmark and Norway regarding the construction of a gas pipeline between Norway and Poland, Polish Economy Minister Piotr Wozniak told a press conference Thursday.

KIEV, March 1 ??“ Unknown arsonists tried to set on fire a house of a prominent Crimean journalist Wednesday after she had printed investigative information on candidates running for a seat in local Parliament.

WASHINGTON, March 1 - The United States and Ukraine have successfully concluded talks on market access issues related to Ukraine's bid to join the World Trade Organization, the office of the U.S. Trade Representative said.

PRAGUE, March 1 ??“ Russian President Putin sought to ease energy security concerns in the Central Europe by promising steady natural gas and oil supplies to the region in the long term.

KIEV, March 1 - KP Media, the publisher of Kyiv Post, an English-language weekly newspaper, and Korrespondent, a Russian-language weekly magazine, plans to launch initial public offering, or IPO, later this year, the company said Wednesday.

KIEV, March 1 ??“ President Viktor Yushchenko said Wednesday he had no information on who owns RosUkrEnergo, a Swiss-based controversial trader that will be the key gas supplier to Ukraine during the next five years.

KIEV, March 1 ??“ Ukraine plans to start withdrawing its troops from Iraq in two weeks and will complete the withdrawal by Oct. 15, President Viktor Yushchenko said Tuesday.