Ukraine denies being asked by Russia to repay $3 bln Eurobond early
KYIV. Jan 13 (Interfax) - The Ukrainian Finance Ministry has not received any request from Russia for repayment of the $3 million Eurobonds sold to Russia in December 2013.
"It is a legal matter (Ukraine's readiness to repay the loan early), but so far there has been no such (request) and we are not expecting any," Ukraine's Finance Minister Natalia Yaresko told reporters on Tuesday.
Last week Russia's Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said that Ukraine had broken the terms of Russia's $3 billion loan by allowing its sovereign debt to exceed 60% of GDP (Gross Domestic Product), which is why Moscow has every reason to demand early repayment of the loan, though no decision has yet been made.
The Eurobonds were part of Russia's $15 billion aid for Ukraine agreed upon between Russia's President Vladimir Putin and the then Ukrainian president, Viktor Yanukovych. The papers were issued at 5% per annum in December 2013 at the Irish Stock Exchange and bought by Russia at the expense of the National Welfare Fund. Their maturity deadline is December 2015.