KYIV, July 26 - NATO said Wednesday it was stepping up surveillance of the Black Sea region as it condemned Russia’s exit from a landmark deal that allowed Ukrainian grain exports through the Black Sea.

BRUSSELS, July 26 – Energy Minister Herman Haluschenko said Tuesday the upcoming winter will be the last time that Russia is able to use gas blackmail in relation to the countries of the European Union.

BRUSSELS, July 26 – The European Investment Bank (EIB) will provide EUR 1.59 billion supported by guarantees from the EU budget, to help Ukraine repair the most essential damaged infrastructure and resume critically important projects addressing the urgent needs of Ukrainian people, the European Commission said on Tuesday.

KYIV, July 26 - Russia targeted Ukraine’s southern Black Sea regions of Odesa and Mykolaiv with airstrikes Tuesday, hitting private buildings and port infrastructure with missiles fired from long-range bomber aircraft, the Ukrainian military said.

BRUSSELS, July 23 – Ukraine signed a memorandum with the European Union of understanding and a loan agreement between Ukraine, the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) and the EU on the country's receipt of macrofinancial assistance in the amount of EUR 1.2 billion.

KYIV, July 26 - Ukrainian and rebel forces in war-torn Donbas have started preparing for a “full and comprehensive” cease-fire scheduled to begin at midnight, a move that officials hope can lead to more steps to resolve the 6-year-old conflict, AP reported.

KIEV, July 26 – A collective lawsuit is being drawn up in Kropyvnytsky (former Kirovohrad) to challenge the renaming of the city, head of nongovernmental organization Perspektyva Mista (Prospect of the City) Artem Stryzhakov said.

KIEV, July 26 - A religious march by the Ukrainian branch of the Russian Orthodox church has been banned from Ukraine's capital after authorities found live grenades near the planned route, DW reported.

KIEV, July 25 – President Petro Poroshenko has signed a law imposing harsher punishment for driving under the influence of alcohol, drugs or medicines lowering attention and reaction rate.

KIEV, July 23 - A meeting of the International Monetary Fund Executive Board may be held on July 31, after which Ukraine could be issued the second tranche of funding under the EFF program, IMF spokesman Gerry Rice confirmed.