KIEV, April 1 - Ukraine is on track to return to economic growth this year but its pace hinges on how the eastern separatist conflict develops and resolving a political crisis, the World Bank said Friday, AFP reported.

The global lending institution's regional director Qimiao Fan forecast a one-percent expansion for the former Soviet country this year and a two-percent pick-up in 2017 after a 9.9-percent contraction in 2015.