KIEV, Dec. 15 – President Viktor Yushchenko’s Our Ukraine party on Monday failed to secure enough votes from its lawmakers to create a coalition with Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko’s group, suggesting the differences between the two have been widening.

Our Ukraine-People’s Self-defense, which controls 72 seats in the 450-seat Parliament, needs to secure support of at least 37 lawmakers, a simply majority, to be able to approve the coalition.

KIEV, Dec. 15 – The hryvnia plummeted 8% against the U.S. dollar on Monday amid concerns Ukraine’s financial crisis may be worse than government forecasts and the country’s forex reserves may vanish before the end of 2009.

KIEV, Dec. 15 ??“ Ukraine, which is involved in an severe natural gas dispute with Russia, entered potentially even more difficult talks over gas prices with Turkmenistan, an official said Thursday.

KIEV, Dec. 15 ??“ European customers may face natural gas supply disruptions next year if Russian gas giant Gazprom moves to unilaterally cancel its gas transit agreement with Ukraine, officials warned

KIEV, Dec. 15 ??“ Ukraine??™s economy contracted in November for the second time this year dashing the government??™s hopes of economic acceleration before the end of the year, data released from the State Statistics Committee suggest.

KIEV, Dec. 15 ??“ Parliament on Thursday rejected the government??™s 2006 budget draft as political confrontation between pro-government groups and opposition forces had accelerated, lawmakers said.

KIEV, Dec. 15 - Ukraine and Russia will hold a round of natural gas talks next week in an attempt to reach a compromise over gas supplies to Ukraine and transit of gas to Europe, Energy and Fuel Minister Ivan Plachkov said Thursday.

DNIPROPETROVSK, Dec. 15 ??“ Gas price rise up to $160 per thousand cubic meters may entail metallurgic industry costs' rise by UAH 6.8 billion, analysts said.

KIEV, Dec. 15 ??“ The development of the nuclear power sector in the context of energy development strategy until 2030 and increasing energy security are among Ukraine's priorities, secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Anatoliy Kinakh said.

KIEV, Dec. 14 ??“ Outgoing President Leonid Kuchma in an unusual step Tuesday denied reports that his top lieutenant, presidential administration chief of staff Viktor Medvedchuk, had submitted his resignation.