KIEV, Dec 23 - Ukraine's Finance Minister forecast the economy will shrink by 4.3 percent next year and warned of the huge challenge of getting state finances in order, as she presented a draft budget to parliament on Tuesday, Reuters reported.

KIEV, Dec. 23 - The Ukrainian parliament on Tuesday renounced Ukraine's "non-aligned" status with the aim of eventually joining NATO, angering Moscow which views the Western alliance's eastward expansion as a threat to its own security, Reuters reported.

KIEV, Dec. 23 - Ukraine's opposition is in disarray after failing to offer a clear agenda to their supporters in response to the signing by President Viktor Yanukovych of a bailout deal with Russia, AFP reported.

KIEV, Dec. 23 - Russia closed a deal on Friday to buy Ukraine's newly-issued $3 billion Eurobond, part of a $15 billion bailout of its smaller neighbor, Reuters reported citing Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov.

KIEV, Dec. 21 – President Viktor Yanukovych has for the third consecutive year topped the rating of the most influential Ukrainians, according to Focus magazine.

KIEV, Dec. 21 – A senior government official dismissed allegations from opposition groups that the 2013 budget had been illegally tampered with and changed before it was signed by President Viktor Yanukovych.

KIEV, Dec. 21 – The National Bank of Ukraine has cancelled its resolution abolishing the obligatory sale of foreign currency receipts.

NBU resolution No. 457 was registered in the Justice Ministry on December 13, 2010. It is to come into effect 10 days after state registration.

KIEV, Dec. 23 – A little-known banker with close personal connections to President Viktor Yanukovych on Thursday was approved – without debate or a Q&A session with lawmakers - as the governor of the National Bank of Ukraine.

KIEV, Dec. 23 – President Viktor Yushchenko Wednesday urged the government to unlock financing of the upcoming presidential election after the Central Election Commission complained less than 1% of the money has so far been allocated.

KIEV, Dec. 23 – Talks between Ukraine and the International Monetary Fund over $2 billion in emergency lending collapsed after the government failed to approve its 2010 budget, officials said Wednesday.