KIEV, Jan. 20 - A Ukrainian central bank official said on Tuesday he felt optimistic about the outcome of negotiations with the International Monetary Fund in Kiev which Ukraine hopes will lead to further financial aid, Reuters reported.

Ukraine, whose economy has been pushed close to bankruptcy by a pro-Russian separatist war in the east and is now facing huge debt repayments, has asked for the existing IMF program to be expanded to plug a $15 billion funding gap.