Ukraine should increase domestic gas production - PM Shmyhal

MOSCOW. July 14 (Interfax) - Ukraine should increase domestic gas production, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said.

"We have had a meeting on the current state of affairs in the oil and gas sector. For instance, we have discussed natural gas production and pumping into storages, and preparations for the fall and winter season. I emphasized the need for increasing domestic gas production in Ukraine. The respective measures were discussed at a meeting with officials, parliament members and representatives of oil and gas companies," Ukrainian media outlets quoted Shmyhal as saying on social media.

At the end of the meeting, Shmyhal tasked the Energy Ministry and Naftogaz of Ukraine with working together with market actors to elaborate a method, which will allow the government to buy the necessary amounts of fuel on the domestic market and will enable companies to enlarge production.

"Ukraine has a potential for providing itself with domestic energy, and we should step up our progress towards energy independence," Shmyhal said.