"We expect that the Board of Governors of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development will support a decision on granting Ukraine an additional US$300 million to buy gas on the western border to satisfy the needs of the Ukrainian economy", said Prime Minister of Ukraine Arseniy Yatsenyuk at a Government meeting on Wednesday, September 30.

He noted that the meeting of the EBRD Board of Governors was underway and a few minutes before they had embarked on considering the Ukrainian issue.

Arseniy Yatsenyuk underlined, if the decision is positive the NJSC Naftogaz of Ukraine, following the procedures the EBRD, will hold a tender, "to purchase gas for US$300 million for the Ukrainian economy just on its western border".

Apart from that, such a decision will enable Ukraine by the end of the year to unlock the resource and obtain another US$500 million from the World Bank.

"An overall package of funding necessary to endure the winter is about US$1.3 billion. The sum worth US$500 million has already in the accounts of the Naftogaz, regarding US$300 million we hope for a positive decision by the EBRD, whereas, US$500 million will be granted by the World Bank for the NJSC Naftogaz of Ukraine by the end of this year" under state guarantees for the purchase of gas and the upcoming heating season", stressed Arseniy Yatsenyuk.