国际英语新闻:IMF to send team to Ukraine on Fund-supported program

WASHINGTON, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- The International Monetary Fund (IMF) will send a fact-finding team to Ukraine in the coming days in response to its request for support after the political upheaval, IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde said Thursday.

"The Ukrainian authorities informed me today of their request for support from the IMF. We are ready to respond and, in the coming days, will send an IMF fact-finding team to Kiev to undertake a preliminary dialogue with the authorities," Lagarde said in a statement.

"This will enable the IMF to make its usual technical, independent assessment of the economic situation in Ukraine and, at the same time, begin to discuss with the authorities the policy reforms that could form the basis of a Fund-supported program," she added.

"We are also discussing with all our international partners -- bilateral and multilateral-- how best to help Ukraine at this critical moment in its history. In that regard, we are encouraged by the many statements of support that have been expressed," Lagarde noted.

The political uncertainty has cost Ukraine economically, as the country is said to be in dire financial straits, facing possible default. Ukraine needs around 35 billion dollars in aid to improve its economy, the country's Finance Ministry said.