KIEV, April 4 – Ukraine’s economic growth may slow down to 2% in 2017 from an earlier estimate of 2.9% due to a trade blockade with the breakaway territories, the International Monetary Fund said.

But the growth will accelerate to 3.1% in 2018, up from an earlier forecast of 3%, the IMF said.

The IMF also expressed concerns about the widening of the current account deficit of the balance of payments this year from 3% of GDP to 3.7% of GDP, and from 2.6% of GDP to 3% of GDP in 2018.