A proposed merger between the two largest...

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin proposed on Friday the creation of a joint holding between Russia"s energy giant Gazprom and Ukraine"s gas monopoly Naftogaz. His Ukrainian counterpart Mykola Azarov called it "an impromptu move" on Putin"s part but pledged to consider the proposal.

The Ukrainian opposition was quick to criticize the idea.

"Attempting to solve the gas row like this is like curing a headache by splitting it into four," Russian news site gzt.ru quoted deputy head of the Ukrainian parliament"s fuel committee Mikhail Volynets as saying. "The creation of the joint venture means the de-facto acquisition of Naftogaz by Gazprom and thus the loss of Ukrainian energy independence."

Member of the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc party Volynets said Putin"s proposal has nothing to do with gas prices or European supplies.

"Putin wants to take advantage of the political situation in Ukraine and Yanukovych"s [political] weakness...Don"t forget his initiative

Pages: [1] 2 3