Ukraine has secured privileges in negotiations with Russia on natural gas exports, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Leonid Kozhara told the ICTV television station.

"We will look for opportunities to get a fair price for Russian gas. Only such a price can exist in relations between two strategic partners. And we hope that the price for Russian gas will eventually start to go down gradually," he said.

Commenting on the latest statements by Gazprom that it will bill Ukraine $7 billion, Kozhara said that Ukraine's consumption and purchases of Russian gas had not caused any direct damage to the Russian gas giant.

"I am speaking about the gas purchased as of today. It is an indirect loss, or you can call it missed profit. That is why, in my opinion, this issue should also be discussed at negotiations with Russia addressing ways to restructure this loss and the possibility of reducing the price for Russian gas," the Ukrainian minister said.

"I think that Ukraine has already secured certain privileges in such a negotiating process because its consumption of Russian gas is falling seriously," he said.

Asked whether the Ukrainian authorities could seek to revoke the gas deals signed by former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko through court, Kozhara said: "I am not directly responsible for these contracts in the government, but, as an expert on international law and contract law, I would like to say that international legal documents allow one of its sides to revoke them."

"But I do not think that Ukraine will take any unilateral steps," Kozhara said.

"In my opinion, we will hold negotiations. But, in any case, we, as strategic partners, will always be able to reach agreements out of court. But if the sides prove unable to do so, they can use all of the mechanisms allowed by private and public international law," he said.