Azarov: Ukraine ready make advances to Russia while revising gas contract

Ukraine is still very interested in revision of the extremely unprofitable gas contract with Russia, signed by Yulia Tymoshenko in 2009, and is ready to compromise with the Russian side.

"If the Russian leadership agrees to make us advances in the gas issue, we’ll also make some advances," PM of Ukraine Mykola Azarov said on the air of the First National Channel in an interview with five television channels on Friday.

Azarov said that "we get gas at the highest price thanks to one well-known lady". According to PM, at the meeting with Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, he repeatedly pointed out that the gas price under contract of 2009 is absurd: Ukraine buys German reverse gas by $100 cheaper than under the Russian contract.

"Sooner or later, Ukraine will be forced to abandon this super-expensive gas. You will lose the largest buyer of gas, and we'll waste a resource," Ukrainian Prime Minister presented his argument in talks with his Russian counterpart.

He recalled that since 2009, Ukraine has halved the purchase of Russian natural gas and now actively develops domestic production, organizes reverse gas purchases, and carries out a program of energy efficiency.

Azarov noted that the recent successful drilling at Yuzivske field showed that sooner or later the country will be able to produce 10-15 billion cubic meters of shale gas.

At the same time, he stressed that all these measures require significant resources. In particular, increase in production by 1 billion cubic meters requires about $ 1 billion.

However, PM added that in case of gas price cuts in future, for example, to $150 per thousand cubic meters, Ukraine may return to it as to a more advantageous fuel.