Private money transfers to Ukraine jumped by 34% during the first quarter

Private money transfers to Ukraine jumped by 34% during the first quarter, compared to the same January-March period last year, according to Novoe Vremya news site. Transfers from Poland jumped by 45% to $865, almost triple the $300 million sent from Russia, the historic destination for Ukrainian labor. While transfers from Russia were down 8%, transfers from the US jumped by 30% to $192 million, the news site said, citing National Bank of Ukraine figures. Reflecting Ukraine’s westward turn, remittances from EU countries were up 44%, to $1.6 billion, while remittances from former Soviet countries were down 6%, to $ 340 million.