Reuters
OTP Bank will step up lending to Ukraine's farmers this year under a Kyiv-backed programme to help them overcome financing problems due to the Russian invasion, an executive at the Hungarian bank told Reuters. Central Europe's largest independent lender, which is also present in Russia, has started scaling back its activity there as part of plans for a possible exit, with its chief executive saying prospects for the Russian economy were "not very bright". Lending in Ukraine rose by 5% in the first quarter from the previous three months, while lending in Russia fell by 7%, OTP has said.