Last year's plan to privatize state-owned enterprises will begin this year.

The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has passed the law needed to start the privatization. However, it stipulated that Russian companies are not allowed to participate in privatization in Ukraine. 252 deputies voted for the amendments of Ukrainian laws concerning the clarification of provisions of №2319a.

According to a correspondent from LIGA.net, the amendment prohibits legal entities and associated individuals registered …

In an effort to enhance cooperation on the energy market, the European Commission (EC) is seeking to study the contracts between Russia and European companies with regard to gas supplies.  In the future, contracts longer than one year should be automatically disclosed to the EC if they are critical for ensuring gas supply to the European Union (EU).  

This legislative initiative was proposed by officials in Brussels on the 16th of February.  The European Energy Commissioner, Miguel Arias …

The Deputy of the German Bundestag, Roderich Kiesewetter, has criticized the actions of the Ukrainian government in an interview with Deutsche Welle.  He has also called on the representatives of the authorities to realize the severity of the situation that the country is currently in.

According to Kiesewetter, who is also a member of the Christian Democratic Union of Germany, there are fears that the Russian Federation will continue to take actions to destabilize the situation in Ukraine.  …

The Principal Deputy Chief of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine, Alexander Hug, during a press briefing on Tuesday in Donetsk stated that pro-Russian separatists attempt to deceive monitors by having people who pretend to be local residents talk with members of the SMM.  As reported by Ukrinform, the leaders of the separatists organize buses to transport "local residents" from village to village to spread misinformation to the OSCE. 

“When we were about to leave the village …

Over the next 10 days, more than 600 Ukrainian and just as many Russian truck drivers will be able to return home.  This is detailed in the framework of the aptly named deal, “going home”.

On the 16th of February, Moscow and Kiev agreed on a procedure that will allow the blocked trucks to return home.  According to the agreement reached by the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine and the Ministry of Transport of Russia, the plan will be in force from the 16th to the 25th of February.

Kiev …

The United States considers the resignation of Viktor Shokin, the General Prosecutor of Ukraine, as a signal demonstrating Ukraine’s readiness to implement reforms, as stated in Washington on Tuesday, February 16th by an official State Department spokesman, reports Ukrinform.

"We consider such action as a signal of Ukraine’s serious intentions to implement reforms,” said Toner, commenting on Shokin’s resignation.

According to him, it is essential to restore trust in the justice system in the …

The Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the United Nations, Vladimir Elchenko, has said that the ongoing militarization of Crimea threatens not only the Black Sea region, but other countries as well.

"The illegal occupation and subsequent militarization of Crimea is not just a threat with long-term consequences for the Black Sea region, southern Europe, northern Africa and the Middle East.  Events in Syria are proof of this," he said during a speech at the open debate of the UN Security …

The Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) has decided to ban the entry of foreign crew members of vessels engaged in commercial voyages to Crimean ports. 

"Because of the violation of the law on entry into the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine [Crimea], these foreigners will not be able to visit Ukraine during the next three years, even as members of the crews of other ships," the press-center of the SSU said.

The SSU reminded that Ukraine has closed checkpoints Crimean ports due to …