The state-owned Ukrainian gas concern Naftohaz intends to resume exports of gas to Poland.

According to Kommersant, Kiev wants to sell 300,000 cubic meters of the fuel worth 90 million US dollars by the end of the year.

Ukraine stopped supplying gas to Poland on 1 January 2011 for two reasons. Under a deal signed with the Russian gas giant Gazprom, Ukraine cannot export Russian gas, while gas extracted in Ukraine must be sold only on the internal market according to Kiev’s decision of 2001, which Ukrainian prime minister Mykola Azarov wants to change this week.

Ukraine hopes to increase its gas exports to Poland the times in the coming years.

This plan is viewed with concern by Gazprom, which does not intend to give up more than 10 percent of the Polish market or 1.6 billion cubic meters annually.

Russia's Gazprom wants to talk the matter over with Ukraine soon. (kk)