LONDON, May 20 - Many holders of Ukrainian bonds are unperturbed by Kiev's threat to halt debt payments, noting that a moratorium would merely bring forward a widely anticipated default and could even result in a better long-term deal for investors, Reuters reported.

Kiev has ratcheted up pressure on its creditors, the biggest of which is investment firm Franklin Templeton, by passing a law allowing the government to call a moratorium on sovereign bond payments. The finance ministry said it would do so unless a "good-faith, collaborative" solution was found.