Ukrainian leadership meets with IMF managing director

MOSCOW. Feb 21 (Interfax) - Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky held a meeting with International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva in Kiev on Monday.

"I met with Kristalina Georgieva. The IMF's support gives Ukraine an opportunity to remain strong. This is an economic weapon that gives us, our society and our business an opportunity to develop," Ukrainian media outlets quoted Zelensky as saying in a social media post.

"We are eager for business to develop, for investments to arrive, and we know that the IMF has always sent the right signals through its work," he said.

Georgieva, in turn, said that she has closely been watching the developments in Ukraine, according to the website of Zelensky's Office. The IMF managing director highly assessed the performance of the Ukrainian state and all of its institutions, which continue to function.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Shmygal also met with Georgieva and the fund's team, Ukrainian media said.

"We discussed mechanisms of financial support for Ukraine. We've achieved success in implementing the monitoring program. In particular, we've finalized the implementation of all structural beacons. Now we expect to launch a new long-term program of more than $15 billion," Shmygal said on social media on Monday evening.

The program with the IMF is expected to consist of two parts: immediate financial support and support for structural reforms that will contribute to Ukraine's reconstruction, the prime minister said.

When commenting on the results of his meeting with Georgieva, Zelensky, in turn, added that he had heard a positive assessment of the country's development from her.

"I was very pleased to hear a positive assessment of the sustainability of our institutions, of the integrity and effectiveness of our country," Ukrainian media quoted Zelensky as saying in an overnight video address.

"There are situations when states cannot withstand even in simpler conditions. Ukraine has retained full functionality," he said.