MOSCOW - RUSSIA is giving one US$1 billion (S$1.53 billion) to the International Monetary Fund to help countries overcome the global financial crisis, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Thursday.
'The decision has been taken to give one billion dollars to the IMF to help countries that find themselves in a particularly difficult financial situation,' Mr Putin said at a congress of the ruling United Russia party.
He also said Russia was offering credits to China and India to purchase Russian goods and confirmed that Russia would lend neighbouring Belarus US$2 biillion to cope with the crisis.
The loans would help diversify Russia's foreign investments, Mr Putin said. -- AFP
