KIEV, Dec. 18 – The gross international reserves of the National Bank of Ukraine have exceeded $32.8 billion due to the strengthening of the euro against the U.S. dollar on international markets, NBU Council Chairman Petro Poroshenko said.

KIEV, Dec. 18 – A fall in construction in Ukraine will not affect the country’s preparations for the European Football Championship 2012, according to first deputy regional development and construction minister, Anatoliy Berkuta.

KIEV, Dec. 19 – Half of Ukrainians believe that the National Bank of Ukraine’s decision to ban early withdrawal of deposits is illegal, according to a poll by the Sofia social research center.

KIEV, Dec. 19 - The price for Russian natural gas supplies to Ukraine must drop to $100 per 1,000 cubic meters in 2009 from $179.5/1,000 cu m in 2008 reflecting crude oil price decline, President Viktor Yushchenko’s office said Friday.

KIEV, Dec. 21 – President Viktor Yushchenko and Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko exchanged sharp personal attacks over the weekend, marking the onset of a 12-month battle that will end with presidential election in early 2010.

KIEV, Dec. 21 ??“ President Viktor Yushchenko will try to persuade his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Friday that Ukraine will not pose any military threat for Russia after joining NATO in the future.

KIEV, Dec. 21 ??“ President Viktor Yushchenko signaled Thursday he will probably veto the government??™s 2007 budget for second time as the Cabinet has failed to meet the president??™s key demand to boost minimum pension.

KIEV, Dec. 21 ??“ Separmurat Niyazov, the authoritarian president of Turkmenistan, the Central Asian country that supplies most of Ukraine??™s natural gas needs, died early on Thursday of a heart attack, state controlled media reported.

KIEV, Dec. 21 - President Viktor Yushchenko's group, Our Ukraine, was the biggest winner of voter preferences over the past month gaining four percentage points and reducing its gap with a leading opposition party, an opinion poll showed.

KIEV, Dec. 21 - The Ukrainian government on Wednesday approved a resolution granting management control over key naval and navigation infrastructure used by the Russian naval fleet in Crimea to Ukrainian agencies, officials said.