BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union offered a larger than expected package of aid to Ukraine on Wednesday, saying it was willing to provide $15 billion (8 billion pounds) in loans and grants over the next several years to help get the shattered economy back on its feet.
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said the assistance, to be discussed by European Union leaders at a summit in Brussels on Thursday, would require widespread reforms by the new Ukrainian government and the signing of a deal between Ukraine and the International Monetary Fund.