No concrete plan for financial assistance from EU, US to Ukraine yet, debate continues

There is no specific plan for providing financial assistance to Ukraine by the European Union and the United States yet, according to Maja Kocjancic, spokesperson for EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton.

Kocjancic said this at a briefing at the European Commission on Monday in response to journalists' questions about Ashton's statement in an interview to the U.S. newspaper, the Wall Street Journal.

Kocjancic said that Ashton was discussing with international partners the possibility of providing financial assistance to Ukraine to overcome the economic difficulties in the country.

Ashton's spokesperson said that the EU was considering both political and economic support to Ukraine.

When speaking about the provision of EUR 600 million in macro-financial assistance to Kyiv, which are subject to Ukraine's reaching agreement on continuation of the cooperation with the IMF, she again stressed that it depended on specific steps Ukraine needed to take, in particular specific reforms and complying with the conditions put forward by the Fund.

Kocjancic said that the EU diplomacy chief was returning to Kyiv next week.

The EU continues its efforts in seeking a solution to the crisis in Ukraine, she said.