KIEV, Dec. 28 – The law on Ukraine's state budget for 2012 does not include enough spending on development projects and the mechanisms of the transparent allocation of funds, First Deputy head of Ukraine's Presidential Administration Iryna Akimova said.

MOSCOW Dec. 28 - Ukraine, which had to borrow money from a Russian bank to cover part of its November bill for deliveries of natural gas the from Russia's Gazprom, has now paid the bill in full, Interfax reported on Wednesday, citing the export monopoly.

NEW YORK, Dec. 28 – The United States again expressed concern about democracy and rule of law in Ukraine after a Kiev court of appeals upheld the conviction of opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko.

KIEV, Dec. 27 – The warm weather spell in December has had a positive impact on winter grain crops in Ukraine, according to Tetiana Adamenko, the head of the agrarian meteorology department at the Ukrainian Weather Center.

KIEV, Dec. 27 – Most Ukrainians have welcomed the declaration by Ukraine of its non-aligned status and the signing of a number of agreements with Russia on cooperation in the leading industries, according to a survey conducted by the Sofia Center for Social Studies on December 16-22.

KIEV, Dec. 27 – The 15.1% fall of the Ukrainian economy through 2009 will be finally overcome in 2012, according to Prime Minister Mykola Azarov.

"If everything would develop under an optimistic scenario, [GDP growth in 2011] would be 6%, and in 2012 we would reach the pre-crisis indicators," he said at a press conference in Kiev on Monday.

KIEV, Dec. 28 – Three activists involved in a recent anti-government street protest in Kiev aimed against increasing tax pressure on small businesses were arrested on Tuesday, a newspaper reported.

KHMELNYTSKY, Dec. 28 - Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko is personally responsible for the failure to timely adopt the country's budget for next year, President Viktor Yushchenko said.

KIEV, Dec. 28 – Ukraine and Russia have “practically” completed talks over higher tariffs for crude oil transit to Europe, an official said Monday hours after Russia had sent out a warning the supplies may be suspended.

KIEV, Dec. 28 – The hryvnia may weaken in 2010 if Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko - one of the leading candidates - wins the presidential election next month, a senior official at President Viktor Yushchenko’s office said Monday.