DAVOS, Jan. 25 – Tackling of corruption has to be the top priority task for the Ukrainian authorities, otherwise the credit and confidence of international partners will be lost, said former European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso during Davos Ukrainian Breakfast on January 22.

BERLIN, Jan. 27 - Ukraine's challenges in tackling corruption remain daunting, at least if you go by a report just out by Transparency International.

KIEV, Jan. 25 - Ukraine may still reach an agreement with Russia on $3 billion of debt it defaulted on last month as talks mediated by Germany continue, Finance Minister Natalie Jaresko said, Bloomberg reported.

KIEV, Jan. 27 – The signing of a free-trade agreement (FTA) between Ukraine and Canada will promote an increase in goods turnover between the two countries and the inflow of Canadian investment to Ukraine, Ukrainian Economic Development and Trade Minister Aivaras Abromavicius said.

KIEV, Jan. 27 - Ukraine plans to sell state-owned coal mines to investors by the end of the year as part of a major privatization effort in the energy sector, Yuriy Ziukov, deputy energy and coal industry minister, said Tuesday.

BRUSSELS, Jan. 27 - EU finance ministers agreed on Tuesday to loan Ukraine 1.8 billion euros ($2.0 billion) to help save it from bankruptcy, leaving open the option of increasing aid at a later stage, Reuters reported.

KIEV, Jan 27 - Parliament on Tuesday approved a statement defining Russia as an "aggressor state," which deputies said could pave the way for consequences under international law, and called for more international aid and stronger sanctions on Russia, Reuters reported.

KIEV, Jan. 26 – NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has urged Russia to stop its support for the separatists in the eastern Ukraine immediately, to stop destabilizing Ukraine and to respect its international commitments.

BERLIN, Jan. 26 – German Foreign Minister Frank Walter Steinmeier hinted at further sanctions on Russia on Monday, saying the European Union would have to react if pro-Russian separatists launched a broad offensive on the east Ukrainian port city of Mariupol, EFE agency reported.

KIEV, Jan. 26 – Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council wants Ukraine to join international anti-Russian sanctions which, it said, must be expanded.