Public joint-stock company Ukrtransnafta would retain the oil transit volume via Ukraine at slightly over 15 million tonnes in 2015, which is the same as in 2014, Ukrtransnafta Director General Mykola Havrylenko has said.

"The main volume of oil is transited via the Druzhba oil pipeline from Russia to Hungary and Slovakia. There is a slight decline in this direction, but I think that by the end of the year we reach the target of slightly over 15 million tonnes," he said in an exclusive interview with Interfax-Ukraine.

He said that oil pumping for Ukrainian oil refineries would reach 1.5 million tonnes at the end of the year.

Havrylenko said that today among three branches of the company – Prydniprovski Trunk Oil Pipelines, Southern Trunk Oil Pipelines and Trunk Oil Pipelines Druzhba – only the latter makes profits today. Many pipelines are not used today and filled with preserving agents.

"Serious talks with the participation of representatives of all interested sides – the state, owners of oil refineries and traders – should be held to answer the question if it is appropriate to maintain the unused oil pipelines. The state should have the medium and long-term vision of the issues of satisfying the needs of the domestic market in fuel," he said.

As reported, oil transit via Ukraine to Europe in 2014 fell by 3.6% or 564,600 tonnes, to 15.013 million tonnes.

Ukrtransnafta operates the oil transportation system of Ukraine. Some 100% of its shares are managed by National Joint-Stock Company Naftogaz Ukrainy.