Ukraine presidential candidates signals big policy shifts in closed-door briefing

Reuters was the only international newswire to gain access to a briefing on Jan 27 with presidential candidate Viktor Yanukovich that broke real news of significance to markets, investors and energy partners. Yanukovich said he backed wage rises that the IMF opposes and, if elected president at the Feb 7 second round runoff, he would try to review the fund’s $16.4 billion bailout programme. He also said a 10-year gas deal with Russia, signed in Jan 2009, required a second look. Gas disputes between Russia and Ukraine have in the past led to Russia cutting gas flows with a serious knock on effect for European customers further west.