DAVOS - Ukraine buys natural gas at the highest price in the world, Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych said during the Eighth Davos Ukrainian Lunch organized by the Victor Pinchuk Foundation in Davos on Friday.
"Ukraine has the highest gas price in the world. No one pays such a price as Ukraine does. I asked this question to myself, our Russian partners and those who had a direct relation to the 2009 gas contract: ‘Why [was] Ukraine was punished?’ No one gave me an answer to this question. We have to find this answer as soon as possible," the president said.
Yanukovych added that the situation in the gas sphere threatens Ukraine’s national security.
"Today we cover a mere 50% of the cost of gas from its sales, although all consumers pay 100%. We completely loaded the industry, thus putting various branches of Ukraine’s industry on the edge of competitiveness. Many of them work at the limit of profitability. We cannot put the burden of the gas price on the population and housing and utility agencies any longer," he said.
According to the president, a compromise on the gas issue is unavoidable.
"We have been holding talks for two years. Both Russia and Ukraine realize that we have to take a decision, and find a compromise. The process continues, but there is no solution yet," he said.
