Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has said that Ukraine's gas transport system (GTS) could be leased.

"We're not likely to sell the [gas] pipeline, the state is most likely to keep it. Possibly, we will lease the pipeline so as to maintain the GTS at the expense of the lease payments," he said in the Dialogue with the Country live television program on Friday.

"We will not take this decision behind closed doors, we are holding talks today, experts are working, we're close to making a decision, but it is hard to say right now when a decision will be taken. We're working to take a decision in the first half of this year," he said.

The president added that the creation of a consortium to manage the GTS is not the final goal, as Kyiv would like to find the best way to use the system effectively.

"Our goal is not to create a consortium, our goal is to use effectively the operating GTS, a part of which is in Ukraine," he said.