Ukraine, Belarus eye hryvna for mutual trade payments

Ukraine and Belarus are preparing to switch to the Ukrainian currency Hryvna in mutual trade payments, Alexander Savchenko, a deputy chairman of Ukraine's National Bank, said in a statement.  The sides are now in the process of drawing a relevant agreement, the official said. It was Belarus that wished to make payments in the Ukrainian currency. Savchenko also reminded that Ukraine used Russian rouble in some trade transactions with Russia.

According to the National Bank of Ukraine, the share of Belarus in Ukraine's total foreign trade turnover accounted for 3.4 percent or $2.52 billion in the first quarter of 2008, including $1.053 billion of exports and $1.467 billion of imports, reports the Russian news agency Interfax