Uzbek President Islam Karimov has signed a law on Uzbekistan joining the free trade zone of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

• December 29, 2013

Ukraine expects a $15 billion bailout package from Russia to be fully disbursed in early 2014, Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov said on Wednesday after Kiev received the first $3 billion tranche.

• December 26, 2013

Russia told Ukraine on Tuesday it had transferred the first $3 billion tranche of a $15 billion bailout, part of plans to keep Kiev firmly within Moscow's orbit and out of the European Union's embrace.

• December 24, 2013

Russia closed a deal on Friday to buy Ukraine's newly-issued $3 billion Eurobond, part of a $15 billion bailout of its smaller neighbor, Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said.

• December 23, 2013

Finnish nuclear consortium Fennovoima said it had signed an expected deal with Russia's Rosatom to build and invest in its 1,200 megawatt reactor, planned to begin operations in northern Finland in 2024.

• December 21, 2013

The International Monetary Fund signed off on Friday on Cyprus's progress in meeting the conditions of its bailout program, giving the euro zone country another $114 million.

• December 21, 2013

Mikhail Khodorkovsky, once Russia's richest man, left prison on Friday after a pardon from President Vladimir Putin ended a decade in jail that many saw as the fallen oil tycoon's punishment for daring to challenge the Kremlin.

• December 20, 2013

A $15 billion Russian aid package for Ukraine began to take shape on Thursday as Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich went public in defense of the deal, but offered no concessions to persuade thousands of protesters to leave the streets.

• December 20, 2013