BRUSSELS, Feb. 24 - The European Commission said that reports that Brussels officially informed the Ukrainian leadership about the suspension of budgetary assistance due to changes in the public procurement law are untrue.

KIEV, Feb. 24 – Ukraine on Thursday expressed its interest in helping NATO to build its missile defense shield, but also suggested that a contribution from Russia was important.

The project was discussed during a visit by NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen to Kiev for talks with Ukrainian officials over a range of issues, including missile defense.

KIEV, Feb. 23 – The Cabinet of Ministers has raised the size of financial assistance paid on the birth of children born starting Jan. 1, Deputy Prime Minister Sergiy Tyhypko said.

KIEV, Feb. 23 – Serhiy Tyhypko, who is among the people President-elect Viktor Yanukovych has been considering nominating the prime minister, said Ukraine would benefit from early Parliamentary election as the next coalition will probably be unstable.

KIEV, Feb. 23 – The Regions Party, led by President-elect Viktor Yanukovych, on Tuesday used a trick to delay a government no-confidence motion for one week to secure enough time to finish talks over a new coalition.

KIEV, Feb. 23 – Accreditation for the media to cover the February 25 inauguration ceremony of incoming President Viktor Yanukovych starts on Tuesday, the Regions Party reported.

KIEV, Feb. 23 – The Sultanate of Oman will not impose restrictive sanctions on Ukrainian steel products, Sayyid Fahad bin Mahmood Al-Said, the Omani Deputy Prime Minister for the Council of Ministers, said at a meeting with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Petro Poroshenko.

KIEV, Feb. 24 – A draft national budget of Ukraine for 2010 should be urgently sent for consideration to Parliament, and it should foresee the realization of unpopular measures to restore economy growth, according to Mykola Derkach, the head of the parliamentary budget committee (Lytvyn Bloc).

KIEV, Feb. 24 – Traffic will be partially restricted in Kiev on February 24-25 due to the inauguration of the new Ukrainian president, the public relations department of the State Automobile Inspection of Kiev reported.

KIEV, Feb. 24 - Naftogaz Ukrayiny will have to pay more than $600 million to Russian gas giant Gazprom before March 7 for gas imported in February, acting Finance Minister Ihor Umanskiy said Wednesday.