<p>Ukraine's lenders agreed to a pause for the payment of its $20 billion (19.4 billion euro) debt, as its economy has been severely impacted by Russia's invasion, the prime minister said.</p>.<p>"Investors in Ukraine's foreign debt agreed to postpone payments until 2024. It allows Ukraine to maintain macro-financial stability and strengthen economic sustainability", Denys Shmygal tweeted on Wednesday.</p>.<p>Holders of about 75 per cent of Ukraine's debt agreed to the pause, the finance ministry said in a press release.</p>.<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/world-news-politics/world-bank-announces-additional-45-billion-in-ukraine-aid-1134479.html" target="_blank">World Bank announces additional $4.5 billion in Ukraine aid</a></strong></p>.<p>A group of Western countries -- including Britain, France, Germany, Japan and the United States -- had already agreed on allowing Ukraine to postpone interest payments on its debt last month, and had called on other countries to join the effort.</p>.<p>The $20 billion debt freeze is a new step in the effort to financially support Ukraine during the war.</p>.<p>"We were also happy to hear that the majority of our investors expressed willingness to participate in the post-war reconstruction efforts of Ukraine," Yuriy Butsa, the government's commissioner for public debt management, said in the same press release.</p>.<p>The World Bank estimated that Ukraine's economy could contract by 45 percent this year.</p>
<p>Ukraine's lenders agreed to a pause for the payment of its $20 billion (19.4 billion euro) debt, as its economy has been severely impacted by Russia's invasion, the prime minister said.</p>.<p>"Investors in Ukraine's foreign debt agreed to postpone payments until 2024. It allows Ukraine to maintain macro-financial stability and strengthen economic sustainability", Denys Shmygal tweeted on Wednesday.</p>.<p>Holders of about 75 per cent of Ukraine's debt agreed to the pause, the finance ministry said in a press release.</p>.<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/world-news-politics/world-bank-announces-additional-45-billion-in-ukraine-aid-1134479.html" target="_blank">World Bank announces additional $4.5 billion in Ukraine aid</a></strong></p>.<p>A group of Western countries -- including Britain, France, Germany, Japan and the United States -- had already agreed on allowing Ukraine to postpone interest payments on its debt last month, and had called on other countries to join the effort.</p>.<p>The $20 billion debt freeze is a new step in the effort to financially support Ukraine during the war.</p>.<p>"We were also happy to hear that the majority of our investors expressed willingness to participate in the post-war reconstruction efforts of Ukraine," Yuriy Butsa, the government's commissioner for public debt management, said in the same press release.</p>.<p>The World Bank estimated that Ukraine's economy could contract by 45 percent this year.</p>