Russia, Ukraine seek to solve gas row

MOSCOW, Oct. 21 — Russia would seek to negotiate with Ukraine over the long-standing gas disputes during Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych’s upcoming visit, the Kremlin said Sunday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s Monday meeting with Yanukovych would focus on the current state of economic ties in priority sectors, including energy, transportation and space, the Kremlin press service said in a statement.

Although certain disagreements remain concerning the gas issue, the two sides would adopt a step-by-step approach, said the statement.

Putin and Yanukovych would discuss a new treaty on further expanding gas cooperation between the two countries. They would also talk about the joint project between Russian energy giant Gazprom and Naftogaz Ukrainy on the Pallas field on the Black Sea shelf, the Kremlin said.

During Putin’s July visit to Ukraine, the two sides failed to make progress in gas talks, as they could not agree on reduced prices for Russian gas.

According to official data, Ukraine’s gas imports from Russia dropped 34 percent year-on-year in the first eight months of 2012.