KIEV, Dec. 19 – Ambassadors of the Group of Seven (G7) countries have praised the Ukrainian government's decision to nationalize PrivatBank and expressed their hope for strengthening the country's banking sector.

"We recognize and applaud the leadership of the governor of the National Bank of Ukraine, the Prime Minister, the Minister of Finance and the President for their continued efforts to clean up the banking sector and stabilize the economy. The Government's decision to nationalize PrivatBank is an important and necessary step in this process, and it will help ensure that all banks in Ukraine are held to the same prudential regulatory standards. This will make the banking sector stronger and more resilient," the G7 countries' ambassadors said in a statement issued on Monday.