Ukraine has signed a contract for the supply of natural gas with an annual volume of up to five billion cubic meters (bcm) with Germany's RWE, Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has said.

"We've found a way to supply gas from Europe. We've signed a contract on 5 bcm with RWE and quietly pump gas," he said in the Dialogue with the Country live television program on Friday.

As reported, in November-December 2012, national joint-stock company Naftogaz Ukrainy imported 52.702 million cubic meters of gas worth $21.966 million. The average price of gas imported from Germany in November-December 2012 came to $416.80 per 1,000 cubic meters.

Naftogaz and RWE Supply&Trading GmbHRWEST (Germany) signed a contract to supply around one million cubic meters of natural gas per day in November-December 2012.

When the two-month contract expires, the sides will be able to discuss long-term agreements on the supply of natural gas to Ukraine in the reverse direction. In November Naftogaz began using its gas transportation facilities in reverse to bring in gas from Europe.

Energy and Coal Industry Minister of Ukraine Eduard Stavytsky, along with the Polish route, Ukraine is working on two additional directions for the reverse directions of gas supply from Europe.

Ukraine started using its gas transportation capacities in the reverse direction due to Russian gas giant Gazprom's statements that it would drastically reduce Russian gas transit to Europe through the Ukrainian gas transportation system and its reluctance to reduce the price of Russian gas.

At the end of last September, gas transportation operator Ukrtransgaz's chief engineer Oleh Mykhalevych said that the Ukrainian gas transportation system is already ready to take up to 5 billion cubic meters of gas in reverse from Europe. He said that Ukrtransgaz has already undertaken several necessary measures to be able to do so.