BRUSSELS, March 26 – The European Parliament, by an overwhelming majority, backed the disbursement of a EUR1.8 billion loan to help Ukraine out of economic recession.

WASHINGTON, March 26 - Russia's $3 billion holding of Ukrainian debt should be classified as 'official' debt, an IMF spokesman said on Thursday, weighing in on what has become a contentious issue in Kiev's economic situation, Reuters reported.

BRUSSELS, March 26 - International lenders are delaying plans to offer Ukraine billions of dollars on concerns Kiev cannot yet prove the cash will not vanish into a corrupt economy which EU officials fear could remain a "bottomless pit.”

KIEV, March 25 – The Cabinet of Ministers has extended the intergovernmental agreement of cooperation signed with the European Space Agency in January 2008 until 2019, the State Space Agency of Ukraine (SSAU) reported.

KIEV, March 26 – The adoption of a draft law on the occupied territories in the current form, which includes the blanket prohibition of economic operations in Crimea, will result in large losses for Ukrainian companies, the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine said in a letter to the chairman of the parliamentary committee for human rights, minority groups and international relations.

BRUSSELS, March 26 - The United States and the European Union agreed on Wednesday to work together to prepare possible tougher economic sanctions in response to Russia's behavior in Ukraine, including on the energy sector, and to make Europe less dependent on Russian gas.

KIEV, March 26 - The International Monetary Fund concluded talks with Ukrainian officials on Wednesday, and was likely to announce an aid deal on Thursday for Kiev to help plug the government's budget gap and put its economy on a growth track, Reuters reported.

NEW YORK, March 26 - A new classified U.S. intelligence assessment concludes it is more likely than previously thought that Russian forces will enter eastern Ukraine, CNN reported.

KIEV, March 26 – The recent heavy snowfalls in northwest and central regions of Ukraine will not harm winter crops, said Tetiana Adamenko, the head of the agrometeorological department of the Ukrainian Weather Center.

KIEV, March 26 - Ukraine should stop any further increase in coal output until after the country builds plants to convert coal to synthetic gas, President Viktor Yanukovych said Tuesday.