The agreement between the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Ukraine on a new 14-month Stand-By Arrangement (SBA) worth $3.9 billion will help the country strengthen the budget and continue the reform program, U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations Kurt Volker has said in an interview with Interfax-Ukraine.

According to him, this agreement is in the long-term interests of Ukraine, both economic and budget strengthening, reforms. This cooperation can have very positive results in the long run, Volker said.

According to him, Ukraine will receive tangible financial support.

Volker said that this would help the government continue its activities - to provide services and demonstrate a strong and stable position in the global market. The agreement with the IMF is very important to Ukraine from the point of view of macro-financial and budgetary benefits for the Ukrainian government, he added.

He said Ukraine would have started feeling the negative results of the absence of an agreement with the IMF already in January-February 2019.

It would be a disaster for Ukraine in macro-financial terms if there were no agreement, Volker said.