KIEV, Sept. 19 - Ukraine may next year start discussions with Russia over gradually reducing barter in natural gas trade within several years, Acting First Deputy Prime Minister Anatoliy Kinakh said Monday.

KIEV, Sept. 19 ??“ President Viktor Yushchenko Monday met former Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych, a bitter rival at the last year??™s contested presidential election, seeking to secure support from lawmakers to approve his designate prime minister.

KIEV, Sept. 19 - AsiaUniversalBank of Kyrgyzstan has submitted documents to the National Bank of Ukraine for the registration of its Ukrainian-based office, the NBU reported.

KIEV, Sept. 19 - Ukrainian cement enterprises in August increased production of cement by 13.7% compared with August 2004, but cement output fell by 3.7% compared with July this year.

KIEV, Sept. 19 - The Ukrainian government urged regional authorities throughout Ukraine to increase prices that local gas distributing companies charge for residential heating, a government spokesman said Monday.

KYIV, Aug 19 – Russian invaders have been controlling the Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) for more than two years, which means a fundamental threat to the radiation safety of all of Europe, only the return of the plant under Ukraine's control will mean full compliance with all safety standards, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

KYIV, Aug 19 – The Danish Government has announced the transfer of a new military aid package to Ukraine that includes money for the purchase of new military equipment through the Ukrainian defense industry and the industrial pool, as well as more donations of equipment through international partners.

KYIV, Aug 19 – Germany has decided to transfer a new batch of military aid to Ukraine, which includes an IRIS-T air defense system in addition to the two previously delivered, as well as drones, vehicles, small arms and ammunition, the federal government website reported on Monday.

KYIV, Aug 19 - Civilians with small children in their arms and lugging heavy suitcases fled Monday from Ukraine’s eastern city of Pokrovsk, where the Russian army was bearing down fast despite a lightning Ukrainian incursion into Russia’s Kursk region.

KYIV, Aug 18 – Fitch Ratings has upgraded Ukraine's Long-Term Foreign-Currency (LTFC) Issuer Default Rating (IDR) to 'CC' from 'RD' (restricted default).

"The upgrade of Ukraine's LTFC IDR to 'CC' follows the execution of consent solicitation on 11 August to restructure external debt, which we deem constitutes completion of a distressed debt exchange (DDE), curing the 'restricted default," Fitch said in a report.