REUTERS
Russia has outlined its proposal to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) regarding the terms of repayment of a $3 billion December 2015 eurobond debt that Kyiv owes Moscow, Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov told reporters in Antalya, according to Russian information agency TASS.
"Russia has put forth its proposal as to the procedure of repayment by Ukraine of its $3 billion debt, which is falling due this December," Siluanov said, adding that the proposal "will be interesting and may be taken as the basis for the settlement of the problem of Ukraine's debt to Russia", without giving further details.
In his words, Russian President Vladimir Putin met with IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde on the sidelines of the G20 Summit, which is held in Antalya, Turkey, on November 15-16.
As UNIAN reported earlier, the settlement of Ukraine's debt to Russia was on the agenda of the November 15 meeting between Putin and Lagarde.
What is more, Siluanov said that he did not plan a meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart Natalie Jaresko, but added that the meeting could take place if Kyiv would consider Moscow's offer.
Bloomberg sources reported November 11 that Russia could try to block the IMF's next loan payment to Ukraine as a dispute between the two countries over a $3 billion bond would come to a head.
As reported, the IMF was considering easing a policy that bars loans to borrowers who are behind in payments to official creditors, proposing to allow such lending as long as the borrowing nation meets its obligations under the IMF program and bargains in good faith with the creditor country.
Faced with this situation, Putin's administration may withhold its assurance that Ukraine can repay its debts to Russia, according to Bloomberg sources. Russia could also argue that Ukraine has not negotiated in good faith.
As UNIAN reported earlier, the Ukrainian Finance Ministry and the Russian government did not reach an agreement on the terms of the restructuring of $3 billion in eurobonds maturing in December 2015.