KIEV, March 3 – Ukrainian leaders on Tuesday sent a letter to the International Monetary Fund asking for loans and explaining the measures the government will take to ease the effects of the economic crisis.

The letter is the result of three days of meetings involving President Viktor Yushchenko, Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, the governor of the National Bank of Ukraine, the speaker of Parliament and opposition leaders.

“The signing and sending of the letter puts Ukraine on the finish line for receiving the second installment from the IMF,” Iryna Vannikova, the spokeswoman for President Viktor Yushchenko, said.