KIEV, July 21 – Ukraine’s economy expanded 6.3% on the year in January through June, growing almost twice as fast as the government had expected, Prime Minister Mykola Azarov said Wednesday.

KIEV, July 21 – Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin will visit Crimea on Saturday and Sunday, and is expected to meet President Viktor Yanukovych, Interfax reported Wednesday citing an unidentified source.

KIEV. July 20 - The Presidential Secretariat has warned the government against drawing loans for Naftogaz Ukrayiny on non-transparent and unprofitable terms.

The government is holding negotiations on unprofitable multi-billion loans without the president's consent, Presidential Representative for Energy Security Bohdan Sokolovsky told a press briefing on Monday.

KIEV, July 21 - Ukraine has announced steps aimed at strengthening relations with Libya, including a new visa regime and joint ventures aimed at developing Ukrainian oil fields.

KIEV, July 21 - Ukraine and the U.S. will hold a bilateral meeting before the end of the year to discuss regional energy security, President Viktor Yushchenko said Tuesday after talks with U.S. Vice President Joe Biden.

KIEV, July 21 – Vice President Joe Biden reassured Ukraine on Tuesday of US support for its right to join NATO and promised a "reset" of Washington's relations with Moscow would not undermine warm ties with Kiev.

ODESSA, July 21 - Ukrainian protesters said Monday they had blocked NATO warships from participating in a military exercise in the Black Sea.

The Bratstvo, or Brotherhood, a leftist group, issued a press release Monday saying its members had moved boats into positions blocking the exits from the port of Odessa, preventing NATO ships from participating in the Sea Breeze 2008 exercise, RIA Novosti reported.

KIEV, July 21 - Russian Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin said Monday Ukraine’s plans to start moving Caspian Sea crude oil via Odessa-Brody to the European Union is a cause for “concern” among Russian oil companies.

KIEV, July 21 - German Chancellor Angela Merkel pledged Monday to help Ukraine implement reforms to bring the former Soviet republic into NATO, a prospect strongly opposed by Russia.

"We are proceeding from the fact that one day Ukraine will become a member of NATO," Merkel told reporters after meeting with President Viktor Yushchenko, The Associated Press reported.

LVIV, July 20 – Ukraine will need three to four days to finish cleanup of the area damaged by the crash of the train carrying hazardous chemicals, President Viktor Yushchenko said Friday.