KIEV, Ukraine, Jan. 20 (UPI) -- Ukraine should examine joining the Nord Stream natural gas pipeline to Germany, said Ukrainian presidential contender Viktor Yanukovych.
Yanukovych, the leader of the pro-Russia Party of Regions, said he would reset Ukraine as a reliable partner for gas transits to Europe if he wins a Feb. 7 runoff, Russia's RIA Novosti reports.
"Ukraine should enter the consortium now involved in the Nord Stream project," he said. "We will make this bid."
Nord Stream is a Russian project to diversify its energy transit options to Europe. Russian energy monopoly Gazprom cut gas supplies to Ukraine briefly in January 2009 following a dispute over debts and contracts. That disruption exposed vulnerabilities in the European energy sector as 80 percent of all Russian gas for Europe travels through Soviet-era pipelines in Ukraine.
Ukrainians voted during the weekend for their first president since the 2004 Orange Revolution brought pro-Western President Viktor Yushchenko to power.
Yanukovych faces Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko in a Feb. 7 runoff as neither candidate emerged with a clear majority.
The runoff coincides with the deadline for Kiev to pay its monthly gas debt to Russia. Yanukovych said he would negotiate a "just price" for gas if he won the runoff.
Tymoshenko, for her part, campaigned that she would keep gas transit systems under Kiev's control if elected president.