Just like his Russian counterparts, Rinat Akhmetov, a Ukrainian steel billionaire, is feeling the pinch of the global financial crisis.

His Metinvest holding company has been caught by the global decline in steel prices and demand.

[...] A Donetsk native, Mr Akhmetov became very rich during what is seen as the crony capitalist days that followed the collapse of the Soviet Union. Reputedly Ukraine's richest man, he snapped up steel mills, mines, utilities and other assets at fire-sale prices.

[...] If you ask any serious Ukrainian politician whether a Democrat or a Republican U.S. president is better for Ukraine, he or she will reply that ultimately there is really no great difference. And this is the truth.

[...]

It happened that bilateral relations developed most dynamically during the administration of Democratic President Bill Clinton. This is only natural: our young country was embarking on a new path of independent development. We were laying the foundations for reform in all spheres, and the support of the most powerful country on Earth was very important.

President slams government for poor financing of army

KYIV, September 26 /UKRINFORM/. The current financing of the Ukrainian Armed Forces is less than 1% of GDP, and with such a level of financing, a professional army will appear in Ukraine no earlier than in 27 years, Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko said at a meeting of the National Security and Defense Council on Friday.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

PRESIDENT YUSHCHENKO'S VISIT TO WASHINGTON, D.C.
Embassy of Ukraine, Washington, D.C.
September 26, 2008

Donald Tusk notes progress in Ukraine, Poland Euro-2012 preparations

KYIV, September 19 /Оleksandr Khorolskyi - UKRINFORM/. A dynamics of Euro-2012 preparations by Ukraine and Poland has optimized, Polish Premier Donald Tusk told a tete-a-tete meeting with Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko.

"UEFA experts note that we are advancing together - Ukraine and Poland," he underscored referring to a preliminary information about UEFA's conclusions on Ukraine's and Poland's Euro-2012 preparations.

Government predicting reduction in gasoline, diesel fuel import

KYIV, September 19 /UKRINFORM/.  The Cabinet of Ministers forecasts reduction in import of gasoline and diesel fuel by 33.3% or 1.6 million tons in 2009 compared to a forecasting indicator of 2008 to 3.2 million tons. A gasoline import is expected at 1.1 million tons (2008 forecast - 1.9 mn tons), diesel fuel - 2.1 million tons (2008 - 2.9 mn tons), according to a draft law on the state program of economic and social development 2009. The government predicts that a gasoline and diesel fuel production will grow by 24.66%.