KIEV. Dec 15 – Pechersky District Court in Kiev at a closed court hearing on Wednesday upheld the prosecutor's request for permission to detain former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, Ukraine's Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko said.

KIEV, Dec. 16 - Japan has always supported the territorial integrity of Ukraine and insists on maintaining sanctions against the Russian Federation, and the country also sees opportunities for investment, Ambassador of Japan to Ukraine Shigeki Sumi said.

KIEV, Dec. 16 – U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden supports the decision by the Ukrainian side to turn over 15 prisoners from a list of representatives of various districts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions and hopes Russia and pro-Russia militants will react to the goodwill gesture.

KIEV, Dec. 18 – Prime Minister Mykola Azarov on Wednesday said that Ukraine averted ‘bankruptcy’ and ‘social collapse’ by signing an agreement with Russia on $15 billion loan and lower natural gas prices.

KIEV, Dec. 18 - Ukraine could be a member of the Customs Union formed by Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan and a member of a free trade area with the European Union at the same time, Regions Party faction parliamentarian and deputy chairman of parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee, Leonid Kozhara, told the Channel 5 television station.

KHARKIV, Dec. 18 – The court hearing of a case against former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko concerning financial abuse within the United Energy Systems of Ukraine Corporation has been adjourned until January 18.

KIEV, Dec. 18 – Hours before he was supposed to board a plane to leave for energy and trade talks with Russia, President Viktor Yanukovych postponed the trip indefinitely, citing the need for “additional consultations.”

KIEV, Dec. 15 - President Viktor Yanukovych said that it is crucial for Ukraine to participate in tenders for infrastructure development projects in Central Asia.

KIEV, Dec. 18 - The European Union will not formalize any deal it reaches with Ukraine at a summit on Monday, EU diplomats said on Friday, even as the country’s president expressed confidence that an agreement would in fact be signed, Reuters reported.

KIEV, Dec. 18 – Ukraine will try to accelerate talks with Russia aimed at lower natural gas prices by sending a high-level team of negotiators to Moscow, Interfax reported Sunday, citing a source familiar with the issue.