KIEV, July 19 – Patriarch Kirill, head of the Russian Orthodox Church will meet with Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych during his visit to Ukraine later this month, the church announced.

KIEV, July 19 - President Viktor Yanukovych has signed a set of decrees that significantly tighten his control over Ukraine’s security apparatus.

KIEV, July 19 – Moscow Mayor Yuriy Luzhkov, who was persona non grata in Ukraine for two years after asserting that Sevastopol must be returned to Russia, said Monday he still believes so.

KIEV, July 17 – The general fund of the national budget could see 30% less revenue than was expected in 2009, Oleksandr Shlapak, first deputy head of the presidential secretariat, said.

"It's likely that we will come to the end of this year with non-fulfillment of the budget's general fund close to UAH 30 billion. Add the target budget deficit of UAH 31 billion to this... The situation in the budget sphere is only worsening," he said at a briefing on Thursday.

KIEV, July 19 – The government, seeking to support the steel sector, approved regulations extending for three months low prices for power, railroad transportation and coking coal, Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko said.

KIEV, July 19 – The government agreed to hike by 20% prices of natural gas for households starting from September 1, Viktor Yanukovych, the leader of the opposition Regions Party, said Friday.

KIEV, July 19 – The International Monetary Fund is “concerned” over Parliament’s recent initiative to hike social spending that may widen budget deficit and spur inflation, President Viktor Yushchenko’s office reported Friday.

KIEV, July 19 ??“ Ukraine assured the European Union on Wednesday it will buy enough natural gas to be stored in underground gas tanks to make sure that European gas shipments are smooth during the winter.

KIEV, July 19 ??“ President Viktor Yushchenko will Thursday hold a meeting with Viktor Yanukovych, the leader of the Regions Party that has been nominated for the post of the prime minister by the pro-Russian coalition.

JERUSALEM, July 19 ??“ Prior to the visit of Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko to Israel this fall, the Ukrainian government is to refer to Parliament for ratification the Ukrainian-Israeli convention on avoiding double taxation of enterprises in these two countries, said Ukrainian First Deputy Prime Minister Anatoliy Kinakh.