KIEV, Jan. 16 – Ukrainian national oil and gas company Naftogaz Ukrayiny currently owes $650 million to RosUkrEnergo, Dmytro Firtash, a co-owner of the Swiss-registered gas trader, said on Echo of Moscow radio.

KIEV, Jan. 18 – Ukraine and Russia made progress in natural gas talks over the weekend that may lead to a deal on Monday opening supplies to the European Union, Prime Minister Yulia Tymosheko said.

ANKARA, Jan. 17 - Ukraine is ready for active involvement in the multilateral Nabucco gas pipeline project, Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych said following talks with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara on Wednesday.

KIEV, Jan. 18 ??“ Ukraine??™s economy expanded 7% on the year in 2006, faster than the government had expected, as robust steel exports had supported the country??™s economic growth, the State Statistics Committee reported.

The government has been steadily increasing its 2006 economic growth forecast from 2.6% in January 2006 to 6% in November 2006, due to growing demand for steel, Ukraine??™s major exports commodity.

KIEV, Jan. 17 ??“ The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is forecasting that Ukraine's GDP will grow 4-4.5% this year and that inflation will be higher than 10%, IMF Senior Resident Representative in Ukraine Jeffrey Franks said.

KIEV, Jan. 18 ??“ President Viktor Yushchenko used a loop-hole on Thursday to veto the controversial law on the Cabinet of Ministers that had been dramatically reducing powers of the president.

KIEV, Jan. 18 - President Viktor Yushchenko and Sergei Sikorsky, a co-founder of Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, a world leader in the design and manufacture of helicopters, on Thursday discussed plans for joint projects in Ukraine.

KIEV, Jan. 18 - Ukraine's economic growth slowed down to 2.4% on the year in 2005 compared with 12.3% expansion recorded in 2004 amid a decline in capital investments.

KIEV, Jan. 18 - Ukrainian retail sales rose 23% in all of 2005, compared with the previous year, as the government increased social payments such as pensions and wages, the state statistics committee reported.

KIEV, Jan. 18 ??“ Oil production with gas condensate in Ukraine in 2005 rose 3.8% compared to 2004, to 4.3 mln tons, including a rise in oil output by 5%, to 3.1 mln tons, Fuel and Energy Ministry reported.