Drought-hit Ukraine has introduced temporary grain export quotas, a spokesman for the country's Agriculture Ministry said Monday.

With the December deadline for signing a new gas-supply contract approaching, Ukrainian and Russian officials have been holding preliminary meetings to sound each other out.

The negotiations on a new contract Russian natural gas supplies to Ukraine would be held in October-December of the year, Russia's Prime Minister said Friday, according to the Itar-TASS news agency.

Ukraine's president said Thursday he has issued instructions to invite EU observers to monitor snap parliamentary elections scheduled for September 30.

Ukraine intends to join an international uranium enrichment center being established by Russia and Kazakhstan in the near future, Ukraine's Fuel and Energy Ministry said Tuesday.

Leaders from Georgia, Ukraine, Moldova, and Azerbaijan have signed a final joint declaration at the summit of the GUAM Organization For Democracy And Economic Development in Baku. The declaration states that all sides will work to strengthen cooperation on security and stability in the region.

Ukrainian opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko resigned Thursday as a member of her eponymous bloc in parliament. Supreme Rada Speaker Oleksandr Moroz read out her letter of resignation from the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc (YTB) at a morning session earlier Thursday.

Ukrainian politics are becoming more and more impenetrable to logical analysis. Nearly three weeks after the president, the prime minister, and the parliamentary speaker solemnly agreed to end the political crisis and hold early elections in September, the confrontation between power branches in Ukraine continues to bubble.

ICC Secretary General Guy Sebban last week participated in the launch of the first annual European Vector awards in recognition of the growing international reputation of Ukrainian companies.

As President Viktor Yushchenko extended his deadline, Ukraine's lawmakers on Friday began voting on a series of bills needed to hold early elections. Ukraine has been embroiled in a political crisis since Yushchenko issued a decree on April 2 to dissolve the parliament and to call early elections.

Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko has extended his deadline for parliament to pass a series of laws needed to hold early elections, RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service reported.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych says new obstacles are impeding the approval of a legislative package needed for holding early parliamentary elections in September.