GORKI (Moscow Region), October 16 (RIA Novosti) - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev urged the government Thursday to take whatever measures are necessary to maintain economic growth and keep the economy stable amid the ongoing global financial crisis.

"It is important that these measures help ease tension and maintain economic growth rates," Medvedev said at a meeting with government members and bankers outside Moscow.

"Effective enterprises and private entrepreneurs that did not take on excessive risk should not experience financial hunger," Medvedev said, adding that the government had to make every effort to shield them from the liquidity crunch.

Meanwhile, Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin said the problems with liquidity in the financial sector would be resolved next week.

Russia's government earlier pledged to grant $50 billion to national development bank Vnesheconombank to help Russian businesses refinance their foreign liabilities.

The current global credit squeeze started in the United States and quickly spread to Asia and Europe leading to record losses on Russia's financial markets, rising interest rates and a liquidity shortage.