Ukrainian Finance Minister Natalie Jaresko said she’s optimistic the International Monetary Fund will continue its aid program even if the war-torn nation breaches the lender’s policy by going into arrears on payment of a $3 billion bond owed to Russia.
Support from the Group of Seven industrialized nations is strong enough to prevent the IMF from halting its $17.5 billion aid program for Ukraine over the debt due to Russia in December, Jaresko said in an interview in London on Monday. She has ruled out repaying the bond when it comes due Dec. 20, and Russia has refused to negotiate the bond it bought from the regime of former President Viktor Yanukovych shortly before his ouster and President Vladimir Putin’s annexation of Crimea.
