KIEV, Dec. 17 – Ukraine's economy will have a close to zero growth in 2013, First Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Trade Anatoliy Maksiuta said Tuesday.

"We're expecting [the figure to be close to] zero," he said.

"The economy is gradually improving [in the fourth quarter], but obviously it is not possible to rectify the situation seriously by the end of the year," said Maksiuta.