Financial aid talks with EU, IMF are key task of new Ukrainian govt
KYIV. Feb 27 (Interfax) - Resumption of financial aid negotiations with the European Union and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will be a key task of the new Ukrainian government, Batkivshchyna faction leader Arseniy Yatsenyuk said.
"We are expecting negotiations with the IMF and the EU shortly in order to obtain a financial aid package supporting economic stabilization," he told reporters in Kyiv on Thursday.
As to whether one may expect negotiations with Russia on the next loan tranche of $15 billion, Yatsenyuk said, "We will also hold negotiations with our Russian partners but I put an emphasis on partners, not just neighbors."
He assured the reporters that the new government, which still needed to be appointed, would do the utmost to prevent a default.
"I'd like to stress that I will probably be the most unpopular prime minister of Ukraine in its entire history but I must be frank - the country is in ruins and the treasury is empty. And I will have to take numerous unpopular measures. But we will do everything we can to prevent a default," he said.
Maidan proposed Yatsenyuk for the premiership on Wednesday.