AKIPRESS.COM - Ukraine is interested in the purchase of natural gas from Kazakhstan and intends to work on the issue, Interfax reports.

"We're ready to buy gas in Kazakhstan. We should return to the issue. There are difficulties with transit, but we should work on the issue," Energy and Coal Industry Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Demchyshyn said at the 12th meeting of the interstate Ukrainian-Kazakh commission for economic cooperation held in Kyiv.

The minister said that Ukraine is also ready to buy gas in Turkmenistan, and the issue of transiting gas via Kazakhstan should be worked out.

He said that he is ready to ask the European Commission to help in negotiations with Russia over the possible transit of Central Asian gas through the country.

"Until we do not have contracts and even a protocol of intent on gas supplies from Kazakhstan, talks that Russia refuses to transport his gas to Ukraine are only talks," Demchyshyn added.