Ukrainian president to visit Russia next week

Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych will pay a working visit to Russia next Monday to meet his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, the president's press-service said Friday. It is expected that the two sides will discuss an assortment of issues, including energy and trade. Ukrainian experts anticipate the two leaders will try to resolve a three-year long gas price dispute during their meeting in Moscow. In mid December 2012, Yanukovych canceled his planned meeting with the Russian president, saying more time was needed to prepare documents they had planned to sign. Since 2010, Kiev and Moscow have been embroiled in a dispute over the price and volume of Russian gas purchased by Ukraine. Ukraine, which currently pays 432 U.S. dollars per 1,000 cubic meters of gas, is seeking to reduce gas imports from its neighbor. Kiev is trying to persuade Russia to change the current gas contract under which Ukraine agreed to buy 52 billion cubic meters of gas per year or pay for a minimum of 80 percent of that volume, regardless of the actual amount taken. Meanwhile, Kremlin demands Kiev to join the Customs Union or to create a joint consortium to manage the Ukrainian gas transit network if it wants to revise a contract.