Ukraine needs to find a strategic international partner and a reliable energy company for managing the gas transportation system (GTS) by the expiry of the transit contract with Gazprom in January 2020, Naftogaz Ukrainy Head Andriy Kobolev has said during the discussion of the Ukrainian gas transportation route after 2019 in Brussels.

"And when the contract with Gazprom expires, the Ukrainian system will be managed by a reliable energy company," he said.

Kobolev noted that, among other things, the coming of such a European partner will make it impossible to return corruption in the gas sector.

The Naftogaz head called on the European Commission to provide maximum support in the search for and involvement of such a partner. According to him, this can be done already in July this year in order until January 2020 to spend time on structuring partnership or consortium.