Ukraine receives 100-mln euro preferential loan from France

MOSCOW. Dec 13 (Interfax) - Ukraine has received a 100-million-euro loan on preferential terms from the French Development Agency, and the funds have been channeled to the general fund of the state budget to finance priority expenditures, including social and humanitarian ones, the Ukrainian media reported on Tuesday, citing the Ukrainian Finance Ministry.

"We very much appreciate France's contribution to maintaining the stability of the Ukrainian financial system," Finance Minister Sergei Marchenko was quoted in a press release as saying.

As the Finance Ministry noted, the loan is provided on preferential terms: the interest rate is 1.04% per annum, and the final repayment of the loan will be made in 15 years from the date of the loan agreement (taking into account the grace period for deferral of loan repayment for more than five years from the date of the loan agreement).

The total amount of direct budget support from France has reached $432 million since February 24, 2022, the ministry added.

French President Emmanuel Macron said at the Standing with the Ukrainian People international conference in Paris that France would allocate 125 million euros to support Ukraine's sustainability, including another 150 generators and LED lights.

"President Emmanuel Macron announces a 125-million-euro contribution by France to sustainability, including another 150 generators, millions of LED lights, and the maintenance of the South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant," Ukrainian media quoted French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs spokesperson Anne-Claire Legendre as saying in her post on social media on Tuesday.