Viktor Yushchenko is definitely set to change the Constitution and sees a national referendum as the only possible way. He means to have presidential powers increased.

President of the center for economic development on the logic of reform and the choice of means discrediting the noblest goals.

A meeting with Volodymyr Ohryzko, Foreign Minister of Ukraine, opens a series of ZN interviews with the new Cabinet members.

Ukraine's parliament on December 18 confirmed Yulia Tymoshenko as prime minister, returning the controversial pro-Western politician to power three years after the Orange Revolution catapulted her to a short-lived, divisive premiership.

It is not even the matter of her astounding charisma and the iron will – Yulia Tymoshenko managed to sense the optimal propaganda strategy capable of uniting the both banks of the Dnieper, both parts of Ukraine.

It seemed that the talks about gas relations between Russia and Ukraine and between Gazprom and Naftagaz Ukraine were taking their normal course... before November 22.

As anniversaries of the events in Georgia and Ukraine approach, high hopes and great expectations have been replaced with apprehension.

Ukraine should not hesitate to say to its younger brother, Russia, that it should learn Ukrainian political culture.

Ukraine has been shaken not only by numerous post-election events but by serious cataclysms in the energy sphere recently. The President’s meeting with journalists was devoted to exactly this topic.

Those who are more or less familiar with the energy issues in Ukraine consider the ‘breakthrough’ a science fiction novel having nothing to do with reality.

The would-be coalition members do not seem to see eye to eye on the proposed legislative innovations. They do not even tell the same story about the negotiations progress.

The elections are over, and various political forces are busy distributing powers amongst them, although the time is ripe for discussing Ukraine’s post-election economy.

Tymoshenko has learned a lesson from her recent premiership and this time, of course if she manages to enter the same river twice, she will not take thoughtless steps.

Unlike the Russian side, Ukraine does not put up a united front in negotiations. A big battle is going on between influential business and political groups in Ukraine.

The gas price of $130 offered by ‘fraternal’ Gazprom and RosUkrEnergo made Yanukovych’s government ‘tighten screws’ in the domestic gas market.

Suppose in 2007 Russians will, indeed, transport 7-8 million tons of oil via Ukraine. How long will it last? Until they build their alternative pipeline?

It was a good pretext for him [Lavrov] to have a close look at the processes in this country, probe into the strengths and weaknesses of the political leadership. All of this is important in the context of Vladimir Putin’s forthcoming visit to Ukraine. 

RosUkrEnergo contracted 55 billion cubic meters of natural gas supplied from Middle Asia, $130 per 1000 cubic meters. Officials consider it their diplomatic victory while the opposition believes it is a defeat.

VLADIMIR SAPRYKIN, KONSTANTIN BORODIN, VADIM KARASYOV, VLADIMIR FESENKO, VLADIMIR FEIGIN, VLADIMIR VOLOSHIN

"There is a need to get rid of the mediator RosUkrEnergo, and then to increase the tariff of the Russian gas transit through Ukraine. Third point is the presentation of the White Flow gas pipeline project," Volodymyr Saprykin.

VITALY BALA

No large-scale information campaign on Ukraine’s joining the WTO was conducted in the country. Therefore, the Ukrainians do not understand very well what is in store for them and which advantages and disadvantages for Ukraine the entry conceals.

OLEKSANDR PASKHAVER, LIDIA VERKHOVODOVA

In Ukraine it is the political aspects that often play a decisive role. After 16 years of independence and 7 years of sustainable economic growth not only fundamental tasks of the reforms are far from being achieved, but the global development trend is far from being clear.

VITALY BALA

Tymoshenko’s seeking to remove the RosUkrEnergo company from the the chain of the gas supplies and transit should be considered as an element of her presidential campaign. "Gas relations" with Russia became one of her weak points during her first premiership.

VADIM KARASYOV

The election of Yuliya Tymoshenko as Ukraine’s Prime Minister is the evidence of the fact that parliamentary-electoral mechanism of government formation is being created in Ukraine.

IGOR BURAKOVSKY

The fact that building the Our Ukraine-People’s Self-Defense and Yuliya Tymoshenko Bloc coalition has taken almost two months after the early parliamentary elections indicates difficulties on both sides.

OLEKSANDR PASKHAVER, LIDIA VERKHOVODOVA

By way of overcoming the current political crisis Ukrainian society is developing the basics of democracy, though not in a very elegant or ethical manner. But there is no other way of learning freedom and democracy but to practise them.

VITALY BALA

Viktor Yushchenko profits from the procrastination of the coalition formation. As the coalition is not formed, Viktor Yanukovych's government becomes semi-legitimate. The President is the only authority.

VADIM KARASYOV

The parliamentary elections results can be boiled down to three points: Viktor Yushchenko’s victory, Yuliya Tymoshenko’s double victory and Viktor Yanukovych’s defeat. Viktor Yushchenko is the winner because he had initiated the early elections and they took place. The “orange” forces stand a good chance of returning to power.

DMITRY VYDRIN

Yuliya Tymoshenko managed to personify Lesya Ukrainka as well as Evita Peron. So, she deserved her victory. She created a failsafe image that could only be outmatched, but everybody failed to do it.

OLEKSANDR PASKHAVER, LIDIA VERKHOVODOVA

Throughout the contemporary history of Ukraine – starting from its independence in 1991 – privatization was an object of heated public debate. It is quite natural considering that privatization was the main instrument of social order transformation.

It’s a new year, and Ukraine has a new government headed by a fiery reformer with a penchant for making high-stake gambles. Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko is known as the gas queen – more for how she earned her money back in the 1990’s than for how she has tried to clean up her country’s gas sector in more recent years. But clean it up she has tried, against highly formidable of opponents at home and abroad.

The only thing that causes Ukrainians to passionately take sides, cry foul and then throw up their hands in disappointment more than their football is their politics. More than just a game, politics the Ukrainian way is about unquestioning loyalty to one’s team to the point of bending every rule in the book for the sake of a victory chock-full of financial incentives.

Yulia Tymoshenko was approved as Ukrainian prime minister on December 18. This marks the beginning of Ms. Yulia's second stint as head of government. She was nominated both times by pro-Western president Viktor Yushchenko, whom she helped rise to power during the country's 2004 Orange Revolution, and then hold on to authority during this year's power struggle.

There is more than one way for a state leader to abuse his power, and Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko is practicing the 'softest' way of all. You can't call him a dictator who imposes his will on his people, as it's not clear what Mr. Yushchenko's will is - beyond the fact that he wants to stay in power, as do all state leaders.

Ukraine held general elections on September 30, but power sharing in the country remains to be decided in subsequent voting devoid of public participation and full of backroom intrigue. For a second time in a row, Ukraine has pulled off an internationally accepted demonstration of the people's will, with rank and file citizens putting an end to a crippling stand off between their two highest executive leaders.

With parties heir to Ukraine's Orange Revolution perched to retake full control of the country’s executive, Orange president Viktor Yushchenko is again demonstrating the kind of dubious indecision that cost them the government in the first place. His one-time revolutionary sidekick, opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko, was the real winner in the September 30 snap elections, earning enough votes to come back as premier.

The queen of Ukrainian politics, opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko, was the unofficial victor in Ukraine’s snap elections on Sunday, with exit polls indicating she will head the next government. But Tymoshenko’s ascension to power will be anything but a sexy saunter, as her enemies are unlikely to allow themselves to be sidelined by a pretty populist.