Putin angered the coming default of Ukraine – Moskovsky Komsomolets

«The country is actually placed under external control»

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“Ukraine put into administration “- said Vladimir Putin at a meeting with members of the government on Wednesday. He described as “strange” the decision of the Verkhovna Rada to abandon repay foreign debts and urged ministers to protect the interests of Russia, which the Ukrainian borrowers are given loans to commercial banks, have $ 28 billion. Finance Minister Anton Siluanov has said that the agency complains about unfair partners the international court, but experts advise not to flog a fever. According to them, the Kiev authorities are trying to put psychological pressure on the creditors to agree to a restructuring.

Photo: Natalia Gubernatorova

The scandal surrounding the failure of Ukraine to pay foreign debts on Wednesday climbed over the walls of the Kremlin. Vladimir Putin at a meeting with members of the government was outwardly calm but inwardly annoyed. “Something strange is going on,” – he repeated several times, obviously refraining from more pronounced. At some point, the president’s delay failed. “Yet there is no mid-year, to announce the coming default. Level of responsibility and professionalism seems low, though the country is actually placed under external management”, – said the patter of GDP, but the ministers sitting at the table, of course, its great to hear.

Putin recalled that a law passed by the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine does not allow to pay its foreign debt to private creditors like, and the budget of the Russian Federation. According to his estimates, the Ukrainian banks have issued $ 25 billion to borrowers (the bulk of these loans has been accumulated under Yanukovych, but there are loans left over from the presidency of Viktor Yushchenko). Another $ 3 billion in late 2013 had been paid to Kiev from the National Welfare Fund of the Russian Federation. The Russian authorities have long had reason to present these tools to maturity. “But we do not use it, so as not to exacerbate the difficult economic situation of our partners”, – said the GDP.

According to the Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, until recently his agency had no claims to Ukraine in terms of service debt. Square regularly paid interest required: Last translation – $ 75 million – was received in February. The next payment is expected in June. “We will analyze the implications of such a law. If you see a violation of the obligations, turn to the judicial mechanisms for the protection of our interests”, – he informed the president Siluanov. And Dmitry Medvedev said that the fate of the commercial debt, too, the government is not indifferent. “Loans were given to state-owned banks and support our banks,” – he recalled, Kiev threatened litigation not only through the Ministry of Finance, but also on the part of financial institutions.

Ukrainian authorities themselves are known to believe that moratorium on payment of foreign debt will help the country quickly receive the next tranche of the IMF. However, the Kremlin promised to do everything possible to prevent this. “The IMF does not provide loans to countries in arrears to their partners and are on the level of default,” – said Putin, instructing Siluanova to negotiate with the fund and explain the position of Russia. Recall that the four-year program of cooperation between Ukraine and the IMF allocates $ 17.5 billion, but in the period of its validity Square you must save $ 15.3 billion of payments on foreign commercial debt. To do this a couple of months ago, we were initiated negotiations with Russian banks to write off part of the debt, but they did not agree to make concessions. Experts believe that the law passed by the Verkhovna Rada should primarily be viewed as an attempt to exert psychological pressure on recalcitrant creditors. Or they will agree to restructure. Or do not get anything at all.

In addition, at a meeting in the Kremlin, Putin was informed about the progress of negotiations on association between Ukraine and the European Union (Recall that Viktor Yanukovych’s refusal to sign the document provoked unfavorable Russian events on the Maidan). The head of the Ministry of Economics Alexei Ulyukayev said that “things are moving” in Brussels, Russia finally “listened and heard.” A list of 6 points on which compromise is possible. Interfere with the implementation of the agreement is no longer going to the Kremlin: Ukraine will become an associate member of the EU since 1 January 2016. At the same time, the Russian government reserves the right to include mechanisms to protect its own market, if the partners do not make concessions. “Our goal – to find solutions that are acceptable to Russia”, – the president, instructing Ulyukayev continue talks with representatives of Kiev and the European Commission.