UPI: Kiev fine without Gazprom, minister says

Ukraine won't have any problems if Russian natural gas company Gazprom decides to use outside transit networks, the Ukrainian prime minister said.

Gazprom spokesman Sergei Kupriyanov said this week that Ukraine would have "zero role" in Russian natural gas exports to Europe once alternative pipelines are operational.

Russia sends about 80 percent of its natural gas to Europe through the Soviet-era transit network in Ukraine. Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov said Gazprom was welcome to use the network, though the country would get by without it, Russia's state-run news agency RIA Novosti reports.

"Ukraine will find a way out of this situation," said Azarov. "Don't worry about that."  MORE