WASHINGTON, March 20 - U.S. President Barack Obama raised the stakes in an East-West confrontation over Crimea on Thursday by targeting some of Russian President Vladimir Putin's closest long-time political and business allies with personal sanctions, Reuters reported.

KIEV, March 18 – The church enjoys the biggest trust of Ukrainians among social institutions, and 63.8% of respondents trust it one way or another, according to a survey conducted by the sociological service of the Razumkov Center.

BRUSSELS, March 19 – The European Commission has reiterated its willingness to join the development of the trilateral gas transportation consortium of the EU, Ukraine and Russia.

KIEV, March 20 – President Viktor Yanukovych will travel to Poland on Friday – the second such trip in 30 days - as the European officials seek clues on whether Ukraine is committed enough for closer integration.

KIEV, March 20 – First Deputy Prime Minister Valeriy Khoroshkovsky will chair the interdepartmental commission for fighting illegal seizures and mergers of companies, Prime Minister Mykola Azarov said.

MOSCOW, March 19 - Ukraine will behave tolerantly in trade relations with the member states of the Customs Union and is not planning to introduce counter sanctions, First Deputy Prime Minister Valeriy Khoroshkovsky said.

KIEV, March 20 - Parliament on Tuesday approved in the first reading a bill that allows restructuring of national energy company Naftogaz Ukrayiny, but bans selling its natural gas pipelines that move Russian gas to Europe.

MOSCOW, March 20 – Russia on Tuesday stepped up pressure on Ukraine to join a Moscow-led led trade bloc, warning that those countries that don’t would face serious trade difficulties.

President Viktor Yanukovych on Tuesday visited Moscow to join a meeting of regional leaders as his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev showcased the trade bloc, the Customs Union.

KIEV, March 19 – Ukraine's Higher Specialized Court for Civil and Criminal Cases will consider on May 15 a cassation appeal lodged by the defense team of former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko against the verdict on the Russian gas supply contract case, Tymoshenko's lawyer, Oleksandr Plakhotniuk, told Interfax-Ukraine.

KIEV, March 18 – Ukraine will fulfill all of its obligations to the International Monetary Fund concerning the implementation of pension reform, Iryna Akimova, first deputy head of the Presidential Administration said, commenting on the delay in the adoption of the law.