Official: Ukraine expects to settle gas issue with Russia by end of 2012

Ukraine expects to reach an agreement with Russia on new natural gas supply terms and conditions by the end of the year, Nestor Shufrych, a deputy secretary of the Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council, told journalists in Sevastopol on Tuesday, September 25.

"We are maintaining a pragmatic, businesslike, and friendly negotiating process with the Russian Federation today. We hope to settle the most complicated issue concerning our relations in the gas field and supplies of Russian gas to Ukrainian territory by the end of the year," Shufrych said.

"After this issue has been settled, all primitive and farfetched accusations that our opponents are permitting themselves will become irrelevant," he said.

"I am sure that improvement of economic cooperation with Russia and enlargement of opportunities for such cooperation are a future that would ensure a breakthrough in our country's economy," he said.

Shufrych mentioned what he sees as first positive results in cooperation with Russia.

"Our trade turnover has increased, and we certainly cannot disregard the fact that cooperation with Russia has stimulated the development of our economy in these conditions. We see that the national budget revenue has grown fifty percent," Shufrych said.