IMF announces start of new policy discussions with Ukraine

FILE PHOTO: The International Monetary Fund logo is seen inside the headquarters at the end of the IMF/World Bank annual meetings in Washington, U.S., October 9, 2016. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas/File Photo

The International Monetary Fund said it was starting "policy discussions" with Ukraine on Friday, building on meetings held in Vienna last month as Kyiv grapples with the economic fallout of the war with Russia.

Ukrainian central bank chief Andriy Pyshny has said the mission will last until Nov. 17. The IMF team is led by its Ukraine mission chief, Gavin Gray.

"An IMF mission, led by Gavin Gray, starts policy discussions today with the Ukrainian authorities to follow up on their request for Program Monitoring with Board Involvement, building on the findings of meetings last month in Vienna, Austria," the IMF said in a written statement.

FILE PHOTO: A participant stands near a logo of IMF at the International Monetary Fund - World Bank Annual Meeting 2018 in Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia, October 12, 2018. REUTERS/Johannes P. Christo/File Photo

"The mission will conduct its meetings virtually," it said.

Gray said last month that an IMF team had held productive discussions with Ukrainian authorities in Vienna and would work in coming weeks on their request for enhanced program monitoring following Russia's invasion.

Ukrainian authorities are seeking new IMF lending of around $20 billion as part of a larger program.

(Reporting by Max Hunder)