Making a statement for the media in Yenakiyeve today, President Viktor Yanukovych said that the initiative of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to merge Gazprom and Naftogaz Ukraine was an unexpectedly impromptu. It does not necessarily mean that the question will be considered by Ukraine and consequent decision will be made.

The President stressed that any decision on the matter would be made based on Ukraine's national interests. He also stressed that there are multiple options for cooperation with Russian Gazprom. "These options should be considered in terms of consumption of natural gas in Europe, as well as in terms of the capacity of gas suppliers - Russia and Central Asia," he said.

President Yaanukovych stressed that Ukraine would also develop domestic extraction of gas and other  natural resources and purchase the necessary volumes of gas.

He also said that gas transport system is a separate question. "If we speak about cooperation between the two sides - Russian and Ukrainian, then surely this cooperation is interesting and promising," said Viktor Yanukovych, adding that we are interested in increasing the transit of gas to Europe through Ukraine, as well as the oil transit.

According to Viktor Yanukovych, all these questions would be considered based on economic expediency. "As to politics, we believe that our main policy is protection of national interests," summed up Viktor Yanukovych.

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