KYIV, May 16 – Some 48.9% of Ukrainians would support Ukraine joining NATO in a referendum, while 57% would support joining the European Union, according to the results of a survey conducted by the Social Monitoring center, Oleksandr Yaremenko Ukrainian Institute for Social Research, and Sociological Group Rating.

KYIV, May 16 – President Petro Poroshenko is hopeful that the West will increase sanctions against Russia and appreciates the support of the European Union and the United States for Ukraine.

KIEV, May 19 – Ukraine is in a state of quasi-war with Russia and the international community which supports the country should take a strong stand in the negotiations with private creditors who took a selfish and unconstructive position, including up to Ukraine's default, former U.S. Treasury Secretary Lawrence H. Summers said.

KIEV, May 19 - Fighting erupted between Ukrainian government forces and Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine on Tuesday and four Ukrainian servicemen have been killed, Reuters reported citing a regional administration chief.

KIEV, May 19 - Ukraine passed a law on Tuesday that gives the government the right to halt payments to creditors as it wrangles over the terms for restructuring $23 billion of foreign debt, Reuters reported.

KIEV, May 18 – Ukraine and the United States signed an agreement in Kiev on Monday on U.S. loan guarantees for the issue of Ukrainian eurobonds worth $1 billion.

KIEV, May 19 – The Ukrainian government remains committed to the idea of decentralization of power and is ready to ensure a special status for Russian and languages of national minorities, acting Prime Minister Arseniy Yatseniuk said.

KIEV, May 19 – European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighborhood Policy Stefan Fule has announced the Ukrainian government's intention to create a coordination agency for overseeing assistance from Europe.

KIEV, May 19 – Oleksandr Turchynov, speaker of the Ukrainian parliament and acting president of Ukraine, said he is confident Ukraine will cope with possible difficulties if Russia stops supplying gas on June 1.

BRUSSELS, May 19 - Europe's Energy Commissioner said on Monday progress had been made in the gas price dispute between Russia and Ukraine after talks with Russia's energy minister and Gazprom and said a fresh round of negotiations was scheduled for May 26, Reuters reported.