Ukraine can make concessions to Russia in order to achieve a reduction in the price of Russian natural gas only under certain commercial agreements, but not at the expense of compromises in strategic or political issues, Deputy Prime Minister and Social Policy Minister Sergiy Tigipko has said.

"We're always ready for talks with Russia on gas prices, and we are ready for any concessions as part of such commercial agreements. But we cannot talk about compromises in some strategic choices, and we cannot talk about political compromises," he said at a press conference as part of the third Black Sea Economic Forum, which opened at the Livadia Palace on Thursday.

At the same time, in his opinion, such a pragmatic and business-like approach, as well as pragmatic agreements between the two countries and between business entities, is "the best basis for our cooperation."