Ukraine’s President Petro Poroshenko shakes hands with US Secretary of State John Kerry. (Photo: Reuters)

(VOVworld) - The US will grant Ukraine some 2 billion USD in loan guarantees this year. The US Treasury said on Tuesday it will provide 1 billion USD in the first half of 2015 and an additional 1 billion USD in the second half of the year if Kiev makes concrete progress on reforms agreed with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). According to Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew, the loans are part of broader international support for Ukraine’s reform program and economic recovery.