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Ukraine asks for $2.5 billion additional loan from EU to deal with crisis

Associated Press
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Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, right, and Russian President Vladimir Putin lunch together after a meeting on the sidelines of the ASEM summit of European and Asian leaders in Milan, northern Italy, Friday, Oct. 17, 2014. Russian leader Vladimir Putin was meeting with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and key Western leaders in an attempt to negotiate a full end to hostilities in Ukraine that could ease sanctions against Russia. (AP Photo/Daniel Dal Zennaro, POOL) (The Associated Press)

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks at a news conference after the ASEM summit of European and Asian leaders in Milan, Italy, Friday, Oct.17, 2014. Putin met with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and key Western leaders in an attempt to negotiate a full end to hostilities in Ukraine that could ease sanctions against Russia. (AP Photo/Vasily Maximov, Pool) (The Associated Press)

Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko, right, talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, as French President Francois Hollande watches during a meeting in Milan, Italy, Friday, Oct. 17, 2014. European leaders and Russia signaled cautious optimism over a peace deal for Ukraine after a high-level meeting in Milan on Friday, but emphasized details still need to be worked out. European leaders are pressing Russian leader Vladimir Putin to fully respect a cease-fire deal signed last month in Belarus, which has reduced by not completely ended hostilities in eastern Ukraine. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno) (The Associated Press)

Ukraine has asked the European Union for an additional loan of $ 2.5 billion as it struggles to cope with the implications of its standoff with Russia.

EU Commission spokesman Simon O'Connor said Tuesday that the request will be "evaluated in consultation with the IMF and Ukrainian authorities." However, he insisted that the EU's executive office "remains very committed to supporting Ukraine in line with earlier commitments."

His comments came as the energy chiefs of the EU, Ukraine and Russia meet Tuesday in Brussels to try to overcome the financial differences standing in the way of assuring Russian gas supplies to Kiev this winter.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukraine counterpart Petro Poroshenko have reached agreement on the broad thrust of a deal but financing issues remain.