Boiko: Compromise Will Be Reached with Russia

Ukrainian Minister for Energy and Coal Industry Yuriy Boiko has said that Ukraine will reach a compromise with Russia on gas prices, with negotiations set to continue on 15 January 2012.

"We are ready to build any model with our partners on equal terms, taking into account national interests," the minister said yesterday.

Minister Boiko said that Ukraine was being careful not repeat its previous "terrible experience" with gas negotiations, an experience that is still being felt by the country today.

"The people who signed did not understand what they were signing, without going into details," he said. "The whole country is being still shaken because of the contract."

He did not expand on who he was referring to. He said that Ukraine was ready to reach a compromise but still did not agree with Russia on some matters.

"There are some points on which there has been convergence, but there are other points on which there are principle objections," he said.