Azerbaijan's Energy Minister Natig Aliyev considers it necessary to take concrete steps for Azerbaijani oil supplies to Ukrainian refineries and its transit to Europe.

Aliyev and Ukraine's deputy prime minister, co-chairman of the Azerbaijani-Ukrainian intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation, Hennadiy Zubko discussed the prospects for extending the Azerbaijani-Ukrainian relations in the area of energy on Friday, the Energy Ministry's press service reported.

"Azerbaijan plays an important role as a producer of energy, Ukraine as its consumer and a transit country. The deepening of energy cooperation between Azerbaijan and Ukraine will strengthen the role of both countries in the Caspian-Black Sea region," the minister said.

He stressed that the proposals voiced at the meeting of the Azerbaijani-Ukrainian intergovernmental commission will give rise to a new stage of cooperation between the two countries in the energy sector.

According to Aliyev, Kyiv's interest in the supply of Azerbaijani oil to Ukrainian refineries and its transit to Europe is beneficial to both countries and should take concrete steps in this direction.

"Stressing the high demand for oil in Ukraine, the minister noted that the additional supply of oil from the Azerbaijani side will be beneficial. The Energy Minister of Azerbaijan also stressed the need to develop a program of energy cooperation between the two countries for the next ten years," the report reads.

Zubko, in turn, stressed that Ukraine considers the priority for the energy cooperation the transit of Azerbaijani oil through Ukraine to Europe, the diversification of gas supply sources and construction of the gas terminal. "Ukraine has necessary opportunities to implement these projects," Zubko said.

The sides agreed to organize bilateral meetings with a view to enhancing energy cooperation between Azerbaijan and Ukraine.