EU in contact with U.S., China, Japan on aid for Ukraine

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union has had contact with the United States, Japan, China, Canada and Turkey on coordinating aid for Ukraine, a senior European Commission official said on Monday. The official, who declined to be identified by name, said the EU could organise a donors' conference to raise short-term funding for Ukraine, which has said it needs $35 billion (£21 billion) to survive 2014 and 2015. "A donors' conference as the situation stabilises would be one way (to help Ukraine)," he told Reuters. "We have also had contacts with the Japanese, Chinese, Canadians, Turks and the US," he said. (Reporting by Justyna Pawlak; editing by Luke Baker)