(MENAFN- Qatar News Agency) shington April 12 - The United States urged other countries to contribute more to the economic rescue of Ukraine. US Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew told the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that Ukraine's "sizeable financing needs" meant other nations must add to its $1 billion loan guarantee. The appeal came as Ukraine's interim prime minister offered to devolve more powers to eastern regions. Meanwhile Washington on Friday announced a third round of sanctions against individuals it has linked to Russia's annexation of Crimea. The US Treasury said it had frozen the US-based assets of one former Ukrainian official a Crimea-based energy firm and six Crimean leaders including the chairman of the Crimea electoral commission and the mayor of Sevastopol. Lew says the US is "bolstering the IMF program through a complementary aid package which includes a $1 billion loan guarantee and additional technical assistance" in a statement to the IMF. "It is critical that the international community - multilateral development banks and bilaterals - take immediate steps to also support the IMF program by providing financing support given the sizeable financing needs" he adds. The IMF announced a rescue package worth as much as $18 billion last month in a bid to aid Ukraine's economy and this has been bolstered to $27bn with contributions from Europe and the US. In exchange the IMF has demanded from Ukraine strict government spending cuts and tax increases. Ukraine is being squeezed by Russia's decision this month to stop providing Ukraine with subsidised natural gas. That discount had been agreed between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine's then President Viktor Yanukovych in which Russia also said it would buy $15bn-worth of Ukrainian government bonds. The IMF is also asking Ukraine to crack down on corruption and end central bank support for the Ukrainian currency. Ukraine's new government has said it needs $35 billion to pay its bills over the next two years. Ukraine has not paid off its debt to Russian gas supplier Gazprom despite the passing earlier this week of a deadline for the nation to start reducing its debt. Gazprom says Ukraine owes it $2.2 billion. On Friday President Putin moved to assure the EU it would not cut off gas supplies. Brussels said it would stand with the new authorities in Kiev if the Kremlin carries out a threat to turn off the tap to Ukraine
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