In an interview this week, Shpek said that the talks were part of a plan to raise $5.5 billion in financing next year to support the recently announced economic stabilization plan that Ukraine has worked out with the International Monetary Fund.
Shpek said that later this month he hoped to sign the $700 million "systemic transformation facility" program, which the fund is offering to help former Socialist bloc countries transform their economies.
The announcement follows a decision by the Ukrainian government last week to approve a memorandum for far-reaching economic reforms.
Ukraine hopes to receive the first half of the $700 million program by years' end, and the second early in 1995.
Senior Ukrainian officials earlier told journalists that their government is committed to implementing the economic reforms, but said bilateral support by the Group of Seven leading industrialized nations is still crucial to meeting its 1994 financing gap, as well as future needs.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.