KIEV, Jan. 23 – The United States on Wednesday agreed to join an energy summit in Kiev later this year, a move that supports Ukraine’s attempts to arrange alternative to Russia’s supplies of oil and natural gas.

KIEV, Jan. 23 ??“ President Viktor Yushchenko fired Ukraine??™s Ambassador to Austria and will seek dismissals of other officials, including Transportation Minister Mykola Rudkovskiy, for allowing deterioration of relations with key gas supplier Turkmenistan.

KIEV, Jan. 23 ??“ Holos Ukrayiny, Parliament??™s official newspaper, will not publish on Wednesday the controversial law that has been reducing powers of President Viktor Yushchenko, the newspaper??™s editor reported on Tuesday.

KIEV, Jan. 23 ??“ The Ukrainian government will seek to draft legislation providing tax breaks to companies building filling stations that use compressed natural gas (CNG) as fuel, energy and fuel minister Yuriy Boyko said.

KIEV, Jan. 23 ??“ The National Bank of Ukraine spent about $500 million over the past three weeks supporting the hryvnia as demand for hard currency had increased due to growing gas imports, an official said.

KIEV, Jan. 23 ??“ Ukraine used a record amount of natural gas Sunday in reaction to extremely cold weather, but the increased consumption had been agreed with Russia, Prime Minister Yuriy Yekhanurov said Monday.

KIEV, Jan. 23 ??“ President Yushchenko urged Parliament to let judges assume their duties at the Constitutional Court and assured lawmakers he will not seek to immediately cancel controversial amendments to the constitution.

KIEV, Jan. 23 - Ukraine's economy will probably expand 2.4% this year, a half of what has been originally planned, due to a sharp increase in natural gas prices, Economy Ministry Arseniy Yatseniuk said.

MOSCOW, Jan. 23 ??“ Russia and Ukraine on Monday failed to make progress in talks over lifting a ban on imports of Ukrainian meat and dairy products that had been imposed Jan. 20, a source said.

KIEV, Jan. 23 ??“ Ukraine and Russia are preparing a new agreement on nuclear fuel supplies to Ukrainian NPPs in 2006-2010 inclusive, Russian Atomic Energy Agency (Rosatom) chief Sergei Kiriyenko said.