WASHINGTON, Dec. 9 - The International Monetary Fund has confirmed the low probability of issuing the fourth tranche under the EFF program to Ukraine by the end of this year. "It is probably unlikely," IMF spokesman Gerry Rice said during a regular briefing in Washington.

In the meantime, back in Kiev, central bank officials are trying to put the best face on things, with National Bank of Ukraine Governor Valeriya Gontareva expressing hope that the funding delay will be a short one.