Russia's second-largest lender VTB sees 2025 GDP growth at 1.9%, above the International Monetary Fund's forecast of 1.3%, while inflation will slow to 6.4% from the current rate of 8.5%, VTB's CEO Andrei Kostin told Reuters in an interview. "We believe that it will still be possible to reduce inflation to 6.4%. However, given the high military expenditures and the sanctions, the key interest rate may not be fully effective as a tool for managing inflation," Kostin said.