Ukraine sends loan request to IMF

The Ukrainian government has sent a loan request to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and hopes to get an answer by the end of the month.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatseniuk has said it.

"I hope that by the end of this month the International Monetary Fund will consider our request and make a respective decision… We will learn it within the next ten days," he said, while opening a Cabinet of Ministers meeting on Wednesday.

He said that late on April 22 the government prepared an address to the IMF requesting the provision of a loan and the resumption of the program that will help stabilize the economic situation in Ukraine.

Yatseniuk asked Finance Minister Oleksandr Shlapak whether this address had already been sent, and the finance minister said: "We sent the documents late at night yesterday, and Washington got them. Our mission prepared the entire necessary package... and handed it to the management."

According to the IMF Web site, the Ukrainian question is not on the agenda of the IMF Executive Board meetings until May 2 inclusive.