KIEV, June 13 – Kiev supports the further enlargement of the European Union, with the inclusion of Ukraine into common European political and economic space, President Viktor Yanukovych said at the 18th Summit of heads of state of Central Europe.

KIEV, June 16 – Seeking to expand its influence ahead of the March 2015 presidential election, Ukraine’s largest opposition party, Batkivshchyna, on Saturday merged with several smaller opposition groups.

KIEV, June 15 – The Cabinet of Ministers has passed a resolution approving the rules for issuing visas for entry into Ukraine and transit through its territory, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oleksandr Dykusarov said.

KIEV, June 15 – The BYT-Batkivschyna faction in the Ukrainian parliament has demanded that an agreement between Ukraine and Russia on the stationing of the Russian Black Sea Fleet on Ukrainian territory (the so-called Kharkiv agreements) be cancelled.

KIEV, June 16 – Former Ukrainian premier Yulia Tymoshenko was under pressure from Russia during the signing of gas contracts in 2009, according to the head of the parliamentary commission investigating the signing of gas contracts by the Tymoshenko government, Regions Party MP Inna Bohoslovska.

KIEV, June 16 – Parliament, led by President Viktor Yanukovych’s Regions Party, on Thursday gave first-reading approval to controversial pension, bringing Ukraine a step closer towards securing lending from the International Monetary Fund.

KIEV, June 16 - Ukraine will have to find ways to settle its dispute over natural gas with gas trader RosUkrEnergo, Prime Minister Mykola Azarov said Tuesday.

“We are thinking how to exit this situation,” Azarov said in an interview with BBC Ukrainian service aired late Tuesday.

KIEV, June 16 – Ukraine borrowed $4 billion in a mystery loan from Russia, not $2 billion as was recently reported, Serhiy Liovochkin, the chief of staff at President Viktor Yanukovych’s administration, said Wednesday.

KIEV, June 16 – President Viktor Yanukovych’s administration will seek to set a date for local elections in Ukraine on October 31, Serhiy Liovochkin, the chief of staff, said Wednesday.

KIEV, June 15 - President Viktor Yanukovych called for an investigation to be conducted in Ukraine before Naftogaz complies with a court order to return 11 billion cubic meters of gas to Swiss trader RosUkrEnergo AG (RUE) and pays 1.1 bcm in gas by way of a fine.