LONDON, May 26 - Ukraine hired three banks to raise $1 billion of five-year bonds backed by the United States Agency for International Development, which will help the issuer lower its funding costs significantly, IFR reported.

Ukraine last used the US-guaranteed format in May 2014 for a $1 billion five-year issue via JP Morgan and Morgan Stanley. The deal was priced to yield 1.844% and was rated in line with US debt.