BRUSSELS, March 27 – The United States welcomes the preliminary agreement between Ukraine and the IMF on a loan program of $14-18 billion and urges both sides to complete the steps necessary to gain approval from the IMF Executive Board.

A statement released by the White House on Thursday notes that the agreement reached is "a powerful sign of support from the international community for the Ukrainian government, as we help them stabilize and grow their economy, and move their democracy forward."