KYIV, Sept 15 – Director of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) for Ukraine Sevki Acuner has said the EBRD hopes for the successful completion of negotiation on extension of lending to national energy company Naftogaz Ukrainy to buy gas until 2018.

KIEV, Sept. 15 – The National Bank of Ukraine effective September 16 is reducing its refinancing rate from 15.5% to 15%.

This is outlined in NBU resolution No. 277-rsh dated September 15, 2016 on the size of the refinancing rate.

KIEV, Sept. 16 – The initiative of Ukraine's Energy and Coal Industry Ministry to separate the largest and best fields of the company for operation as part of the Product Sharing Agreements (PSA) is unviable, according to Ukgazvydobuvannia Chairman Oleh Prokhorenko.

KIEV, Sept. 16 – Ukraine's Economic Development and Trade Ministry, by amending the regulations of state-owned Naftogaz Ukrayiny under a September 7 order, has put under threat the signing of a $500 million loan agreement between the holding and the World Bank.

KIEV, Sept. 19 – Ukrzaliznytsia and Georgian Railways want to create a joint venture that would arrange direct international railroad and ferry services between Chornomorsk port (earlier Illichivsk port, Odessa region) and Georgian ports Poti and Batumi.

KIEV, Sept. 19 – The change of Naftogaz Ukrayiny's charter by the Economic Development and Trade Ministry and the transfer of its subsidiary – public joint-stock company Ukrtransgaz – to the management of the ministry could have resulted in the refusal of the Arbitration Institute of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce to hear Naftogaz Ukrayiny's claim against Russia's Gazprom on the 2009 transit contract, Naftogaz Ukrayiny Chairman Andriy Kobolev said.

KIEV, Sept. 19 – The Ukrainian government on Monday cancelled a controversial order by the economy ministry about the state gas shipper UkrTransGaz that had jeopardized a $500 million loan from the World Bank.

KIEV, Sept. 16 – Dmytro Firtash's Group DF, the largest creditor of Odessa Port-Side Chemical Plant, is still ready to discuss the possibility of participating in the privatization of this enterprise, Managing Director Borys Krasniansky said.

KIEV, Sept. 18 – Ukraine by 2020 could almost stop consuming Russian gas, which would be the foundation of the energy independence of the state, former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko said.

KIEV, Sept. 17 – Ukraine has started licensing the next generation TVSA-12 nuclear fuel made by Russia's TVEL company, said Mykhailo Hashev, the senior inspector of the State Inspectorate for Nuclear Regulation.