KIEV, Ukraine — Ukraine's new prime minister, in his first interview since taking office, told The Associated Press that Crimea must remain part of Ukraine, but may be granted more local powers.

Arseniy Yatsenyuk told the AP Wednesday that a special task force could be established "to consider what kind of additional autonomy the Crimean Republic could get."

The prime minister, approved by parliament on Feb. 27, denied a report that Ukraine was negotiating with the United States for deployment of U.S. missile defenses in exchange for financial help.

"This is not true," Yatsenyuk told the AP. "We have no talks with the government of the United States of America on any kind of deployment of any military forces."