The Anti-Monopoly Committee of Ukraine (AMCU) signed a memorandum with the US Federal Trade Commission, which involves the participation of international experts in the development of anti-monopoly policies in Ukraine, the head of the AMCU Yuriy Terentyev said, UNIAN reports.

"We signed a memorandum of cooperation with the US Federal Trade Commission this Wednesday. This program provides ongoing professional support for the work of the Anti-Monopoly Committee by the Commission," Terentyev said …

Finland may apply for NATO membership, but it will require broad support from the local population, as stated by Prime Minister Juha Sipilä, speaking at a party congress in the city of Seinäjoki.

"I consider it is important, that if one day we will come to this decision, a referendum will be held," Sipilä said.

"This does not mean that those who make decisions in the country are transferring their responsibilities [to the people], this means that they understand that such a big decision …

Naftogaz of Ukraine will not agree to buy gas from Gazprom in the third quarter of 2016 for the price offered by the Russian Energy Minister of $177 per one thousand cubic meters. On Friday, June 10, Director for Business Development at Naftogaz, Yuriy Vitrenko, wrote this on his Facebook page.

Vitrenko noted that the cost of European gas in July was below $173 per one thousand cubic meters. "All the necessary gas we will buy on the European market. Thankfully we have no problems there now," …

This year, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine intends to implement legislative initiatives that would allow the country to improve its position in the World Banks’ Ease of Doing Business Ranking and enter the top 50 best countries in 2017, and in the top 20 by 2018, as highlighted in the “Top Priority Action Plans for the Government for 2016” posted on the Cabinet of Minister’s website on Friday.

The grounds for improving the country’s ranking is the implementation of effective regulation …

The head of the Ukrainian Security Service, Vasyl Grytsak, stated that Yanukovych-era Ukrainian politicians and high-ranking officials who escaped to Russia as well as the Russian Secret Service are allocating funds to destabilize the situation in Ukraine through second and third tier politicians, Interfax-Ukraine reported.

“Russia is funding extremism in our State,” Grytsak said.

“We have identified a lot of cases where, for example, some Ukrainian politicians – not of the first, but second …

During a meeting of the EU Justice and Home Affairs Council on Friday in Luxembourg, Ministers of the EU countries were not able to reach an agreement on the liberalization of the visa regime for Georgia, Ukraine, Kosovo and Turkey, Interfax-Ukraine reported.

"We’ve talked about the liberalization of visa policies, noting the progress made by all countries, including Turkey. But we have not made a decision yet, because some EU countries still see a number of problems and are not able to agree. …

Unlike South Ossetia, Abkhazia will not hold a referendum on joining the Russian Federation. The Prime Minister of the breakaway Republic, Artur Mikvabia, said this in an interview with RIA Novosti.

Commenting on the referendum in South Ossetia, Mikvabia said that "Abkhazia is another story."

"The motives of Tskhinvali are clear. The Ossetians are a divided people, some are now living in Russia, others in South Ossetia. That is why there is a desire to reunite. We have a different situation. …

German Chancellor Angela Merkel stated that sanctions imposed against Russia “will not end by themselves.”

According to Reuters, she stated that implementing the Minsk Agreements is the key to lifting the sanctions.

The EU imposed economic sanctions against Russia in July 2014 due to the crisis in Ukraine. In response, Russia banned the import of a number of products from the EU. The European Union tied these sanctions to the Minsk Agreements. According to the EU, the terms of the Minsk …