KIEV, Feb. 22 - Ukraine may sue Turkmenistan in an international court of arbitration in Stockholm if the Central Asian country breaks an earlier agreement on natural gas prices, an official said Wednesday.

KIEV, Feb. 22 ??“ Talks over a government coalition backing President Viktor Yushchenko??™s reforms after March 26 election were on the verge of collapse Wednesday after a key partner had indicated it would quit the process.

KIEV, Feb. 22 ??“ Crimean Parliament voted Wednesday to hold a referendum on the status of the Russian language in a move that breaches the Ukrainian constitution and may lead to escalating tensions in the region.

KIEV, Feb. 22 ??“ Foreign direct investments (FDIs) hit a record high of more than $7.3 bln in Ukraine in 2005, which was up 4.7 times up on 2004, the State Statistics Committee reported on Tuesday.

KIEV, Feb. 22 - Ukraine plans to reduce annual natural gas imports by 83% within the next 25 years by boosting domestic output and modernizing the economy, Energy and Fuel Minister Ivan Plachkov said Wednesday

KIEV, Feb. 22 - Ukraine returned to a normal natural gas consumption schedule after a spell of a warm weather replaced extremely cold temperatures earlier this month, Prime Minister Yuriy Yekhanurov said.

KIEV, Feb. 22 ??“ The government was poised Wednesday to cancel its decision imposing a ban on re-exports of crude oil and will instead slap a tax on oil imports, Justice Minister Roman Zvarych said Tuesday.

BRUSSELS, Feb. 21 ??“ U.S. President George W. Bush said Ukraine should be welcomed into the "Euro-Atlantic family" after the ex-Soviet republic's recent election crisis, the Agence France-Presse reported Monday.

BRUSSELS, Feb. 21 - NATO announced a 12-year program to help Ukraine destroy millions of surplus Soviet-era weapons in what the alliance called the largest demilitarization effort underway anywhere in the world, The Associated Press reported.

BRUSSELS, Feb. 21 ??“ The European Union signed a three-year action plan with Ukraine Monday that may lead to a series of benefits to the country, such as easing its visa regime and improving access to investments.