National joint-stock company Naftogaz Ukrainy is holding talks with Italy's Snam on partnership in managing the Ukrainian gas transport system (GTS), Naftogaz Chief Commercial Director Yuriy Vitrenko has said on Priamy TV channel.

"We are holding talks with Snam. This is an Italian gas transport operator. The approach is simple. If Snam, the Italian company, which earlier was a subsidiary of ENI… if they become partners in managing the GTS, then ENI will trust the Ukrainian GTS and there will be more chances that they would buy gas on the Russian-Ukrainian border," he said.

Vitrenko said that managers of Naftogaz believe that the attraction of an international partner to the management of the Ukrainian GTS has no alternatives.

As reported, early April 2017, Naftogaz, Ukrtransgaz, Snam and Eustream (Slovakia) signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at jointly evaluating opportunities for collaboration in the operation and enhancement of the GTS in Ukraine.