Medvedev says Russia may expand gas transit deal with Ukraine

MOSCOW, Jun 5 (PRIME) -- Russia is not against prolongation of a natural gas transit contract with Ukraine, but cooperation should be based on normal commercial relations, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said in a news conference on Wednesday.

“Speaking of the transit deliveries through Ukraine, I’ve already had to say that, but I will announce my position publicly again. We do not reject prolongation of the existing contracts with Ukraine or the use of this route. But cooperation should be pragmatic. It should be based on normal commercial relations, it should be mutually beneficial, it should have acceptable tariffs,” he said.

“And, of course, the cooperation should develop further if the corresponding background favors it.”

The current transit contract between Russia and Ukraine expires at the end of 2019, and the second round of trilateral talks fell through in January.

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