KIEV, May 21 - Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko left for Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, on Thursday to join a meeting of the council of prime ministers of the Commonweals of Independent States, the government reported.

After the meeting of the Council on Friday, Tymoshenko is scheduled to hold a separate meeting with her Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to discuss cooperation in natural gas sector between the two countries, the government said.

KIEV, May 21 – Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko on Thursday eased her pressure to replace Defense Minister Yuriy Yekhanurov after consultations between groups had showed the coalition does not control enough votes to appoint new ministers.

KIEV, May 21 - Naftogaz Ukrayiny, the national oil and gas company, cut capital investments due to financial crisis, but has dramatically increased payments in taxes and fees to the government, the Energy and Fuel Ministry reported Thursday.

KIEV, May 21 – Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko said Thursday the economy has been showing signs of “stabilization” after a major slump earlier this year, and predicted the recovery may start as soon as in four months.

KIEV, May 21 – The government of Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, under pressure from President Viktor Yushchenko, on Wednesday finally canceled the restrictions on grain exports that had been in place for the past 18 months.

KIEV, May 21 – Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko’s government in a unilateral move on Wednesday, pulled out of the Production-Sharing Agreement with U.S. oil company Vanco Energy, further undermining an important offshore oil project.

KIEV, May 21 – The National Bank of Ukraine, in a fundamental change of policy, on Wednesday let the hryvnia appreciate sharply against the U.S. dollar, beyond the level it had originally pledged to defend.

KIEV, May 21 ??“ Ukraine resumed shipments of natural gas to the European Union via a major pipeline that had been repaired following a blast on May 7, Naftogaz Uktrayiny reported Monday.

KIEV, May 21 - President Viktor Yushchenko and Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych failed after fresh negotiations on Monday to set a date for an early parliamentary election to break months of political deadlock.

KIEV, May 20 ??“ President Viktor Yushchenko on Friday called for creation of an alliance of European countries that would jointly resist challenges in the event that energy supplies are used as a tool of pressure.