KIEV, May 24 (RIA Novosti, Vladimir Suprun) - Naftogaz, Ukraine's national oil and gas company, will take a loan to pay trading company Rosukrenergo for natural gas, the country's fuel and energy minister said Wednesday.
"Naftogaz will secure loans from those [parties] offering best terms," Ivan Plachkov said.
The Finance Ministry said the company had been given permission to secure a first loan worth $60 million under a debt-repayment program to Rosukrenergo, the sole supplier of Russian and Central Asian gas to Ukraine.
Naftogaz said last week its debt to Rosukrenergo for natural gas exceeded $400 million, but it would repay the debt as soon as Ukraine received payment for Russian gas transit.
Supplies of gas to Ukraine are now handled by Rosukrenergo under a deal to end a bitter price row between the former Soviet neighbors early this year.
