Ukraine determined to ease energy dependence – fuel minister
15:44, 12 June 2010
KIEV. June 12. KAZINFORM Ukraine is determined to ease its dependence on imported energy, the minister of fuel and energy, Yuri Boiko, said on Friday; Kazinform refers to Itar-Tass.
"We have set ourselves some very ambitious goals - those of minimizing the import of gas," Boiko told the Inter television channel. He stressed Ukraine's guarantees the flow of Russian gas to Europe would continue uninterrupted.
Boiko confirmed that Ukraine and Russia were in talks on ways of stepping up cooperation in the gas sphere.
"We are ready to act together in any form that serves the national interests and on a parity basis. This is so not only when it comes to gas. It also concerns other spheres, in particular, nuclear power," Boiko said.
As he dwelt on the outlook for a merger of Gazprom and Naftogaz, Boiko said that his country Ukrainian was studying the proposal very closely; Kazinform cites Itar-Tass.