EU says Ukraine to join bloc's plan to jointly buy gas

Ukraine will take part in European Union countries' scheme to jointly buy gas, the bloc's energy policy chief said on Thursday.

"We have integrated Ukraine in the gas joint purchasing platform with a view to help secure 2 billion cubic meters of additional gas," EU energy commissioner Kadri Simson told a meeting of EU lawmakers.

EU countries plan to sign their first contracts to jointly buy gas by this summer.