KIEV (Sputnik) — US $1-billion loan to Ukraine is a timely boost to economic recovery, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said Friday.
Earlier in the day, the United States and Ukraine have signed an agreement on granting Kiev a third tranche of a guaranteed loan of $1 billion, according to the Ukrainian Finance Ministry’s press service.
"I am deeply grateful to the United States for timely and important assistance to our nation. I am convinced that with the help of global coalition supporting Ukraine we will be able to rebuild our nation," Poroshenko said.
The Ukrainian president praised the agreement as cementing US-Ukrainian ties and voiced hope that deals with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and other global financial institutions would follow soon.
The United States previously provided Ukraine with two tranches worth $2 billion and hundreds of millions of dollars in other assistance.
Moreover, in March, the IMF approved a $17.5-billion bailout package to be lent to Ukraine over the next four years in exchange for economic reforms.