WASHINGTON, Feb. 9 – A mission from the International Monetary Fund led by IMF Division Chief Ceyla Pazarbasioglu has been holding discussions with the Ukrainian authorities regarding the first review of Ukraine's stand-by agreement with the fund.

"Since the adoption of the IMF supported program, the global economic environment has deteriorated markedly. Ukraine's economy has not been excluded from this process," Pazarbasioglu said in a statement issued on Friday.