The International Monetary Fund expects Ukraine to continue servicing its foreign debt.

At the moment Ukraine is servicing its debt in an orderly way, said Fund spokesman Gerry Rice in a scheduled news briefing. "We would expect that to continue."

He said the IMF sees grant financing from the international community as a near- and short-term priority because "that would allow the Ukrainian government to remain operational without incurring further debt."

Ukrainian state-run gas company Naftogaz earlier this week asked its international creditors to allow a two-year extension of its debt payments.

Creditors were urged Thursday to reject the company's request.

Ukraine's economy and state revenues have shrunk significantly since the war began in late February.