Russia ready to discuss Ukraine
WASHINGTON. April 13 (Interfax) - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has said that Russia is ready to discuss Ukraine's new proposals on the price of natural gas and suggested that the relevant authorities in the two countries discuss the issue.
"We will definitely discuss the gas issue among others. This is a subject that is truly vital for Ukraine" he said at a Tuesday meeting with Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych.
"Even though earlier agreements are in effect", the matter should be considered and elaborated on by the relevant authorities in each country, Medvedev said.
"I think there is reason to check approaches and initiate additional action by the relevant ministries and agencies in light of what we talked about during your recent private visit to Moscow and with the purpose of implementing the proposals that we discussed," he told Yanukovych.
That was Medvedev's response to a remark made by the Ukrainian president that he had not received any reply to the proposal concerning gas price compensation.
Yanukovych said that the question of the price of Russian gas "troubles Ukraine today." He also said that there are a number of issues "that have accumulated over the years, not only in the past five years, but older questions that require answers."
"They must be discussed and an agreement on them must be reached," he said.
In turn Medvedev noted that the leaders of Russia and Ukraine have started meeting often. "Like we promised our public, we are meeting often. I cannot help but be happy about it. Especially, as a while ago, the situation was such that I practically did not meet the Ukrainian leadership," he said.
He said that the fact that Russia and Ukraine "have developed such a speed of cooperation meets the interests of our countries and nations," he said.
Medvedev admitted that many problems have accumulated in bilateral relations, however, there are also many ideas.