And here is more on that confab between Poroshenko and Biden:
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko spoke by telephone on March 14 with both calling on Russia and Russian-backed separatists fighting in eastern Ukraine to implement the Minsk cease-fire agreements.
In a statement, the White House said both leaders also welcomed the disbursement of the first tranche of a new International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout loan program for Ukraine.
The $5 billion tranche, received by Kyiv on March 13, is the first part of a four-year, $17.5 billion IMF package.
The IMF loan is designed to unlock other credits for Ukraine from other lenders, eventually allowing Kyiv to receive a total financial package worth some $40 billion.
Ukraine's Finance Ministry says $2.2 billion of the initial loan tranche has been placed in government accounts while the rest has gone to Ukraine's central bank to help stabilize the troubled national currency, the hryvnya.
(Reuters, AP, AFP)
Meanwhile, in China...
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said on March 15 that his government respects the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine, but would not be drawn on whether China considers Crimea to be part of Ukraine or Russia.
Speaking at a news conference at the end of an 11-day meeting of the ruling party’s nominal parliament, the National People's Congress, Li said: "On the issue of Ukraine, China has adopted an objective and just position. We respect Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity."
But he said: "At the same time, the Ukraine issue has added to the complexity of the geopolitical situation and has affected the process of the global economic recovery. We still hope that this issue can be resolved via dialogue, negotiations, and consultations."
His remarks came as Moscow prepares for celebrations marking last year's March 18 annexation of Crimea from Ukraine.
The annexation by Russia has been deemed illegal by the United Nations General Assembly, the United States, the European Union, and NATO.
(Reuters, AP, AFP)