KIEV, May 27 – The European Commission has approved the launch of the second phase of the EU visa liberalization action plan for Ukraine.

KIEV, May 28 – Corruption in the Defense Ministry became possible due to the involvement of commercial structures in state contracts, Acting Prosecutor General Oleh Makhnitsky said.

KIEV, May 29 – President-elect Petro Poroshenko believes there should be no further delays in signing of the economic part of the Association Agreement of Ukraine and the European Union.

BRUSSELS, May 29 - Talks between Russia, Ukraine and the European Commission to resolve a gas dispute will go ahead on Friday, the Commission said, as time runs out to avert a threat that Moscow could cut off supplies to Ukraine, Reuters reported.

KIEV, May 29 - Pro-Russian separatists shot down a Ukrainian army helicopter on Thursday, killing 12 soldiers including a general, as government forces pressed ahead with an offensive to crush rebellions in the east.

MINSK, May 29 - Ukraine is not going to limit itself to observer status in the Belarusian-Kazakh-Russian Customs Union and is willing to join a number of agreements that make up the Customs Union's and the Common Economic Area's legal basis, Prime Minister Mykola Azarov said.

KIEV, May 29 - Prime Minister Mykola Azarov has denied allegations that the government was not holding talks with Russia to amend the gas contract signed in 2009 and says that this question could be resolved only through talks.

ASTANA, May 29 – Ukraine will be granted observer status at the Customs Union, a Russian-led trading bloc, which also includes Belarus and Kazakhstan, Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev announced Wednesday.

KIEV, May 28 – The International Monetary Fund doubts the Ukrainian government's ability to keep the national budget's deficit at 1.8% of GDP in 2012, and suggests the authorities increase the taxation of wealthy citizens, IMF Mission head Christopher Jarvis said, commenting on the results of his work in Kiev last week.

KIEV, May 29 - European Championship co-hosts Ukraine and Poland denounced a BBC report that portrayed their fans as racist, and European soccer’s governing body reiterated that all foreign guests will be safe, The Associated Press reported.