KYIV, May 16 - Ukrainian rock star Svyatoslav Vakarchuk has announced that he is setting up a political party ahead of parliamentary elections later this year.

Vakarchuk said on May 16 that he will lead the Holos (Voice) party in the elections because parliament has “turned into a toxic swamp that drains our future,” RFE/RL reported.

KYIV, May 16 - Ukrainian lawmakers have set May 20 as the day of inauguration of incoming President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, RFE/REL reported.

A total of 315 lawmakers on May 16 voted in favor of the date, while two voted against it.

KIEV, May 17 – The mission of the International Monetary Fund on Tuesday started working in Ukraine, the IMF Resident Representative Office in Ukraine told Interfax-Ukraine.

KIEV, May 17 - Ukraine's lawmakers Wednesday put the brakes on a bill that has triggered concern from its Western allies for hampering anti-corruption efforts in the graft-riddled former Soviet republic, AFP reported.

KIEV, May 17 – Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers intends to approve Ukraine's digital development plan for 2017 introducing the 'digital ambassador' institute in key directions of exports markets.

KIEV, May 18 – Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers seeks to initiate the introduction of the single average wage sum for accruing pensions of UAH 3,764.40, Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman said at the presentation of the draft pension reform at a government meeting on Wednesday.

KIEV, May 18 – The draft pension reform proposed by Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman foresees the change of the pensionable service, retaining the retirement age and a possibility of compensating the absence of the pensionable service.

KIEV, May 18 – Ukraine’s Parliament on Thursday postponed a vote on a religious bill that has outraged Russia because it suggests imposing severe restrictions on the Moscow branch of the Orthodox Church, AFP reported.

VALLETTA, May 16 - President Petro Poroshenko has invited Maltese President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca to visit Ukraine.

"Malta was one of the first countries to recognize our independence and has continuously supported it during these years, and we are very grateful for that," the Ukrainian president told journalists after talks with his Maltese counterpart in Valletta on Tuesday.

KIEV, May 17 – Kherson regional and city officials have added their city to the list of Ukrainian venues vying to host the Eurovision 2017 song contest in Ukraine next year.