KIEV, June 17 – Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko predicts that the hryvnia will become stable due the growth in the output of steel and steel products.

"The output of steel and finished steel products gave us growth of 7.2% in May compared to April [according to the State Statistics Committee], which gives us hope for the stabilization of currency markets in Ukraine. And we'll see the stability of the national currency, or, perhaps, even the strengthening of it," she said while opening a government meeting on Wednesday.

"The basis for the smoother passage of the crisis and economic stability are the statistics on agriculture – the only sector that [did not see] any fall this year, demonstrating a 2.3% increase in output in May 2009 compared to May 2008, including a 7.1% increase at farms," Tymoshenko said.