KIEV, Ukraine, Feb. 20 (UPI) -- The Ukrainian government said Friday it had support from Western powers to advance diversification goals for the country's natural gas sector.
Ukrainian Trade Minister Aivaras Abromavicius met with French Ambassador to Kiev Alian Remy to discuss energy efficiency measures in Eastern Europe.
"We possess experts and know-how, as well as manufacturers, equipment for both energy efficiency and agribusiness," the ambassador was quoted by the Ukrainian government as saying.
Economic and energy rows between Russia and Ukraine have spilled over into the national security arena. A late 2013 move by Kiev toward the European Union evolved into simmering conflict pitting pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine against government forces, which have the support of Western powers.
A weekend cease-fire agreement for eastern Ukraine has been tenuous at best. Officials from the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic in eastern Ukraine said the gas spigot was closed by the government in Kiev earlier this week.
Russian energy company Gazprom said it was supplying natural gas to separatist regions in eastern Ukraine in response.
Russia sends about a quarter of its natural gas to European markets, though most of that runs through Soviet-era pipelines in Ukraine. The Ukrainian Energy Ministry said Friday it has U.S. support for energy diversification efforts. According to the ministry, U.S. special envoy Amos Hochstein said Washington would offer its full support to the effort.
