Ukrainian Prime Minister urges U.S. to join Ukraine recovery plan, expects assistance from IMF, IFC

KYIV. April 25 (Interfax-Ukraine) - Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal discussed energy challenges facing his country with Deputy Secretary of the United States Department of Energy David Turk during a recent visit to Washington.

"We've managed to synchronize the Ukrainian energy system with the European ENTSO-E network. We have already started exporting the first 200 MW and will develop this cooperation with the European Union to further step up the amount of electric power exports," Shmyhal wrote on his Telegram channel.

The parties discussed a possible increase in supplies of nuclear fuel from the U.S., he said.

"I spoke about a Ukraine recovery plan to be based on green economy principles. I urged the U.S. to join its drafting, especially as concerns the development of the energy sector based on modern technology. I also invited [the U.S.] to engage in natural gas exploration and production projects," Shmyhal said.

While in Washington, the Ukrainian prime minister also met with International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, and the two discussed assistance to Ukraine in the short term, as well as long-term recovery programs.

"We highly value the decision to open a special account under the IMF's administration to provide extra assistance to Ukraine from the Fund's member states on a bilateral basis," the government press service quoted Shmyhal as saying following the meeting.

Shmyhal thanked Georgieva for the IMF's position that assistance to Ukraine for financing its budget deficit should be chiefly in the form of grants rather than loans.

At meetings in Washington, Ukraine said it needed about $5 billion a month to finance its budget deficit within the next two or three months. Georgieva supported this request and urged countries to allocate such financing preferably as grants, it said.

Shmyhal invited the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to join the restoration of Ukrainian cities.

"The head of the Ukrainian government expressed the hope for the International Finance Corporation's support in rebuilding the housing and social infrastructure," the government press service said in commenting on Shmyhal's meeting with IFC Managing Director and Executive Vice President Makhtar Diop.

Shmyhal said he expected the IFC's help in financing the rebuilding of transport infrastructure in Ukraine cities. "We are interested in setting up an IFC financial platform, which should provide for financing more Ukrainian cities. Drawing foreign investment to rebuild critical and social infrastructure is among the critical items on Ukraine's agenda," Shmyhal said.

He also highlighted the importance of extending public and private partnership projects, which particularly concerns the implementation of concession projects at airports, railway stations, and seaports, as well as public and private partnership projects in the road industry.