U.S. Vice President Biden told Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko in a call on Friday that the United States is prepared to move forward with a third loan guarantee agreement to support reforms against corruption, the White House said.

The United States promised the third $1 billion loan guarantee in November, but it was contingent on progress on reforms and fighting corruption.

Biden also welcomed the appointment of a new prosecutor general in Ukraine as "an important first step to bringing much needed reform," to the prosecutor general office. Ukrainian lawmakers on Thursday appointed Yuriy Lutsenko, a close ally of Poroshenko, to the position.

Biden also spoke with Ukraine's new Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman who pledged to maintain the momentum of reform with a focus on fulfilling commitments to the International Monetary Fund, the White House said.

/By Trend/