Ukraine hopes that in 2014 the country will retain volumes of Russian gas transit to the European Union countries at a level of at least 90 billion cubic meters (bcm), Ukrainian Energy and Coal Industry Minister Eduard Stavytsky has said.

"Transit is important, and we plan to retain it at the level of at least 90 billion cubic meters a year," he said in Vilnius on Thursday, November 28.

The minister said that in 2012 Russian gas transit via Ukraine was around 82 billion cubic meters, and in 2013 it is expected that the indicator will be higher.

As reported, referring to the Energy and Coal Industry Ministry of Ukraine, gas transit via Ukraine rose by 1% or by 684.3 million cubic meters in January-October 2013 year-over-year, to 69.88 billion cubic meters.