KIEV, Feb. 24 - The Ukrainian government and the National Bank of Ukraine should develop a common position in order to receive a second tranche of an International Monetary Fund stand-by credit, President Viktor Yushchenko said.

The president's position was given by Presidential Press Secretary Iryna Vannykova at a briefing on Tuesday.

KIEV, Feb. 24 – Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko on Tuesday indicated that she firmly opposes slashing budget spending, a key demand from the International Monetary Fund for resuming its $16.4 billion lending lifeline to Ukraine.

KIEV, Feb. 24 – Ukraine’s escalating political dysfunction took a destabilizing new turn Tuesday with the call by Leonid Kravhcuk, a former Ukrainian president, for President Viktor Yushchenko to resign to open the way for an early presidential election.

KIEV, Feb. 23 – The Ukrainian government plans to set a minimum tariff for cargo shipments by road in Ukraine as an anti-crisis measure, meeting one of the demands of representatives of trucking companies who took part in a rally in Kiev.

KIEV, Feb. 24 – Gas volumes that Naftogaz Ukrayiny is obliged to buy from Gazprom, would be adjusted by July 1, 2009, Naftogaz representative Ihor Didenko said in an interview with the Dzerkalo Tyzhnya newspaper.

NEW YORK, Feb. 23 - International Boxing Federation heavyweight champion Vladimir Klichko of Ukraine seized the World Boxing Organization belt Saturday with a unanimous decision over previously unbeaten Sultan Ibragimov, the AFP reported.

KIEV, Feb. 22 - Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a letter to his Ukrainian counterpart Viktor Yushchenko on Friday, urged Ukraine to clear its natural gas debt owed to Gazprom as soon as possible.

KIEV, Feb. 24 - Ukrainian lawmakers have been boycotting the work of the standing energy committee in Parliament, seeking dismissal of committee chairman Andriy Kliuyev, according to Oleksandr Hudyma, a committee member.

KIEV, Feb. 23 ??“ A Kiev court ruled Wednesday to freeze assets of FC Dynamo Kyiv, Ukraine??™s wealthiest and internationally best known soccer club, as pressure builds up on loyalists of former President Leonid Kuchma.

STRASBOURG, Feb. 23 ??“ Ukraine will seek to obtain market economy status from the European Union within the next four months and by November be ready to join the World Trade Organization, President Viktor Yushchenko said.