Intesa Sanpaolo Still Interested in Ukraine, Spurs Ukrsotsbank

Italian bank Intesa Sanpaolo’s Chief Executive Corrado Passera said in an interview with the Financial Times that it was no longer pursuing a purchase of Ukrsotsbank (USCB: BUY), since the deal had not been sanctioned by the National Bank of Ukraine. The purchase agreement, signed in February 2006, set a deadline of March 31, 2007 to finish the transaction. However, Passera confirmed the bank remained interested in other Ukrainian banks.