Ukraine successfully completes the restructuring of c.US$15 billion of sovereign and sovereign guaranteed debt

The Ministry of Finance of Ukraine announce the settlement of Ukraine’s debt restructuring operation in respect of thirteen series of sovereign and sovereign guaranteed Eurobonds. Following the passage of Extraordinary Resolutions for each of these series of Eurobonds at bondholder meetings held on 14 October, the holders of such Eurobonds who submitted valid and timely participation instructions are today receiving distributions of new Ukrainian securities in accordance with the terms of the exchange offer. 

Minister of Finance of Ukraine Natalie Jaresko said: “Today, we close one important chapter in Ukraine’s economic history and open another. Few thought we would get to this point when we launched this process eight months ago. The successful conclusion of our debt restructuring process, completed while avoiding default, leaves Ukraine’s economy in a much stronger position and is an important prerequisite for our return to growth.”

Settlement of the exchange offer involves the restructuring of c.US$15 billion of Ukraine’s external debt, achieves a 20% debt reduction for Ukraine (c.US$3 billion) and allows Ukraine to avoid paying any of the previously scheduled US$8.5 billion of principal falling due under such bonds through the end of 2018. This successful debt operation is a key part of the implementation of Ukraine’s IMF-supported EFF Program approved in March 2015, and represents the outcome of seven months of intensive work of all Ukrainian authorities, coordinated by the Ministry of Finance, to convince Ukraine's bondholders of the necessity of a debt restructuring.

Holders of the thirteen series of bonds which approved their respective Extraordinary Resolutions who submitted valid and timely participation instructions before the voting deadline are today being distributed new securities through the clearing systems in connection with settlement. Specifically, they are being distributed new sovereign notes carrying a coupon of 7.75% and maturing between 2019 and 2027, as well as GDP-linked securities, all as provided in the terms of the exchange offer. Holders will receive their entitlements through the clearing systems and their respective custodians in accordance with the procedures of such clearing systems and custodians in due course.

Holders of the thirteen series of bonds which approved their respective Extraordinary Resolutions who did not submit valid and timely participation instructions before the voting deadline are not receiving new securities today. Instead, such holders will have 150 days after the settlement date to submit valid participation instructions in accordance with the published terms of the exchange offer if they wish to receive their entitlement to new Ukrainian securities. Any holders who have not submitted valid participation instructions within such period will lose their entitlement to receive the new securities. Instead the securities to which they would otherwise have been entitled will be sold in the market and the cash proceeds of sale (net of selling expenses) will be distributed to such holders through the clearing systems.
 

Only one series of eligible debt instruments did not participate in the exchange offer, being the Eurobond maturing in December 2015. The terms of the new sovereign notes issued today include contractual provisions which prevent Ukraine from paying such Eurobond in accordance with its terms or settling with the holders of such Eurobond on terms more favourable than those received by participating bondholders in the just-completed exchange offer. Ukraine regrets that that holders of such Eurobond have decided not to support Ukraine’s essential debt operation, but within the contractual constraints in which it must operate the government of Ukraine remains open to finding a solution with the holders of the December 2015 Eurobond.