Russia Hopes IMF to Confirm Kiev's $3Bln Debt to Moscow as Sovereign

Russian Economy Minister Anton Siluanov said that the Ukrainian side will later have to reconsider the list of its commercial creditors and remove Russia from it.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Russia expects that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will confirm on Wednesday the status of Ukraine's $3-billion debt to Russia as sovereign, Russian Economy Minister Anton Siluanov said.

"Today the IMF must make up its mind about the status of the debt," Siluanov told reporters, expressing confidence that the fund would confirm the official status of the debt. "We have no doubt about it."

According to Siluanov, the Ukrainian side will later have to reconsider the list of its commercial creditors and remove Russia from it.

"We cannot, do not intend to and will not hold talks with Ukraine proceeding from the status of a commercial creditor," the minister said.

Ukraine owes Russia $3 billion in Eurobonds. The debt was secured by the government of then-President Viktor Yanukovych in late 2013. Moscow has repeatedly stated that Kiev's inability to pay back the debt by December 20 will mean a default.

On Tuesday, Ukraine's Finance Minister Natalie Jaresko said that Kiev and Moscow were still in talks, brokered by mediators from Germany, on the issue of the settlement of Ukraine's debt.