MOSCOW, Dec. 25 – Russia is canceling the preferential trade regime with Ukraine, but there is no talk about sanctions against the country, the Russian Economic Development Ministry said.

KIEV, Dec. 28 – The 2016 national budget passed by the Parliament puts Kiev city in the situation of surviving, not developing, Kiev Mayor Vitali Klitschko has said.

KIEV, Dec. 28 - President Petro Poroshenko approved a plan for joint military exercises involving Ukrainian and foreign armed forces in 2016, according to a decree posted by the presidential administration.

KIEV, Dec. 28 - The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the modernization and repair of the Urengoy-Pomary-Uzhgorod gas pipeline on the section 4,101.3-4,128.4 km.

KIEV, Dec. 27 - Ukraine will seek the European Union’s involvement in a joint venture to upgrade and to operate natural gas pipelines that move bulk of Russian gas to Europe, Prime Minister Mykola Azarov said Friday.

KIEV, Dec. 30 – Prime Minister Mykola Azarov has instructed government members to continuously coordinate work in their areas of responsibility during the upcoming New Year and Christmas holidays, in particular, to ensure the smooth payment of pensions, social benefits, as well as the stable functioning of essential services.

KIEV, Dec. 30 – President Viktor Yanukovych has signed a law, which increases the deficit of the national budget for 2013 by UAH 19.4 billion, to UAH 69.98 billion, and the ceiling of state debt for the end of the current year by the same sum, to UAH 502.48 billion.

KIEV, Dec. 30 – An activist at Road Control, a website exposing traffic police corruption, has fled Ukraine after receiving threats that he may be arrested or even assassinated.

KIEV, Dec. 29 – Protesters lifted their blockade of government offices Wednesday after receiving assurances that Viktor Yanukovych, the controversial Prime Minister, will not enter the building for at least two days.

KIEV, Dec. 29 – Viktor Yushchenko, the liberal opposition leader who won the Sunday presidential election, within weeks plans a dramatic overhaul of political decision making along with creation of a new government, sources and analysts said.