Ukraine’s GDP grew by 6 percent year-on-year in the second quarter, the Economy Ministry said, reversing five consecutive quarters of negative growth.

National Bank of Ukraine Governor Kyrylo Shevchenko said oligarchs have a "destructive" influence over the county's central bank.

In May, the government cut its forecast for gross domestic product (GDP) growth to 4.1 percent from 4.6 percent in 2021 and to 3.8 percent from 4.3 percent in 2022.

Germany and the United States, during Merkel’s final visit as Chancellor to Washington, concentrated their efforts not on whether the pipeline should be completed but rather on how Ukraine might be compensated if it loses its status as a transit country for Russian gas.

Ukrainian troops have battled Russian-backed separatist forces in the east in a conflict Kyiv estimates has killed 14,000 people since 2014.

Ukraine invested almost $10 billion in renewable energy, with $6.2 billion being invested in 2018-2019, making it one of the top five sectors for investment in its economy.