KIEV, March 28 (RIA Novosti) - Ukraine's Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko dismissed reports on Saturday that the country had taken on a begging role in negotiations with other countries and international organizations amid the current financial crisis.
"I would like to refute statements that Ukraine has taken on the role of a beggar," the premier told journalists on return from a visit to Japan, adding "Ukraine and Japan are building cooperation. There is no begging here."
Ukraine has been hit hard by the global economic crisis with its currency, the hryvnia, depreciating 50% since September.
Kiev received the first installment of $4.5 billion as part of a $16.43 billion IMF loan in November 2008, however, further payments have been delayed over the country's inability to prove to the IMF that Kiev is capable of reducing its budget deficit.
Earlier it was reported that Ukraine had applied to Russia for a $5 billion loan to pay for natural gas deliveries.
