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.

LONDON, Jan. 21 -- Fitch Ratings, the international rating agency, has upgraded Ukraine's Long-term foreign and local currency ratings to ???BB-' (BB minus) from ???B+', according to a Fitch announcement carried by Interfax-Ukraine.

NEW YORK, Jan. 20 ??“ President-elect Viktor Yushchenko has accepted an invitation to address the prestigious World Economic Forum in Davos Switzerland this month.

KIEV, Jan. 20 ??“ Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a telegram Thursday to congratulate pro-Western opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko with victory at the Ukrainian presidential election after a court had rejected an appeal from his Moscow-backed rival.

KIEV, Jan. 20 ??“ Opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko will be sworn in as the Ukrainian president Sunday, according to Parliamentary vote Thursday, hours after Yushchenko??™s election victory announcement had been published by two official newspapers.

BRUSSELS, Dec 20 – European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen confirms that if Ukraine continues to do its homework on moving towards EU membership, Brussels will be ready to open the first cluster of accession negotiations early next year.