KYIV, Sept 27 – The team of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has begun to discuss a new three-year Extended Fund Facility for Ukraine and, following a two-week work in Kyiv, announced plans to continue the discussion in the coming weeks.

"Discussions on the new program will continue in the coming weeks," chief of the mission Ron van Rooden has stated.

"The mission has had productive discussions on policies for a new program these last two weeks, especially on fiscal and monetary policies, as well as key reform measures. It also underscored the importance of central bank independence and safeguarding financial stability, as well as the need to make every effort to minimize the fiscal costs of bank resolutions," according to the statement posted on the IMF's website.