KIEV, March 18 – Ukraine still hopes to create a free-trade area with the European Union, while considering the possibility of reaching similar agreements with Turkey and Israel, Prime Minister Mykola Azarov said.

KIEV, Mach 18 - The U.S.’s National Democratic Institute (NDI) notified Ukraine it is suspending its involvement in the working group that has been drafting new election legislation due to poor transparency of the process.

KIEV, March 20 – Ukrainian lawmakers may create a special commission to investigate privatization of national phone company UkrTelecom amid skepticism about the government’s story suggesting the company had been purchased by five Austrians.

KIEV, March 19 - Ukraine will demand compensation from Russian ship owners for damages caused by oil contaminated waste which poured into Kerch Strait where a number of vessels sunk in November 2007, the Ukrainian government's press service said.

KIEV, March 20 - The Prosecutor General Office will keep an eye on gasoline retailers who may be resorting to “unjustified” hikes in prices of gasoline and diesel fuel, the office reported Thursday.

KIEV, March 20 – Parliament on Thursday voted by an overwhelming majority to cancel a controversial law that had been regulating about $20 billion in annual spending by state companies and agencies.

KIEV, March 20 – President Viktor Yushchenko met Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko on Thursday to try to persuade her to agree to a single candidate from the governing coalition to run at the Kiev mayoral election in June.

KIEV, March 20 - Ukraine??™s Constitutional Court is halfway through in deliberations on whether to cancel privatization of Illich Steel, the country??™s No. 2 steelmaker, in a decision that would have a major impact on the sector.

KIEV, March 20 ??“ Anatoliy Kinakh, a lawmaker and a member of opposition group Our Ukraine, may soon get a senior post at the government, Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych said Tuesday.

KIEV, March 20 ??“ President Viktor Yushchenko nominated Arseniy Yatseniuk, the first deputy chief of staff at the presidential office, as foreign minister after Parliament, led by pro-Russian coalition, had rejected Volodymyr Ohryzko.