State-owned Russian lender VTB has again extended the duration of a $2 billion loan to Ukraine by six months, Ukrainian finance ministry official Serhiy Makatsariya said on Saturday.
Ukraine originally took out the six-month loan in June, 2010 to plug holes in the budget, and its duration was extended for a further six months last December.
"This is not the last extension, another one is available," Makatsariya, who is in charge of state debt, told reporters at a meeting of ex-Soviet republics’ finance ministers.
Asked if Ukraine could tap the Eurobond market soon, he said the government was waiting for the resolution of the European debt crisis.
"We are waiting for the IMF and the European Union to helpGreeceand for the situation to improve," Makatsariya said.
"The volume could be $1 billion, $1.5 billion, $2 billion, depending on tenor… We don’t need money urgently."
Ukraine’s central bank this week warned the government it risked a sovereign credit rating downgrade due to a de facto suspension of its $15 billion IMF programme.
However, analysts say Kiev is close to meeting the Fund’s requirements as the parliament is due to vote soon on a pension reform bill and other steps urged by the IMF have been taken.
