Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov starts a three-day visit to Ukraine on March 12 for talks that will center on natural gas.
Berdymukhammedov is due to meet with Ukrainian counterpart, Viktor Yanukovych, to sign several agreements on boosting cooperation between the two countries.
The key issue will be Ukrainian purchases of Turkmen gas.
Yanukovych began discussions on that topic during a visit to Turkmenistan last year.
Ukraine currently pays some $416 per 1,000 cubic meters of Russian gas, but Ukrainian officials hope to buy Turkmen gas for some $200 per 1,000 cubic meters.
The only route connecting the two countries passes through Russia, however.
Berdymukhammedov's visit to Ukraine is the first for a Turkmen leader in a decade.
Berdymukhammedov is due to meet with Ukrainian counterpart, Viktor Yanukovych, to sign several agreements on boosting cooperation between the two countries.
The key issue will be Ukrainian purchases of Turkmen gas.
Yanukovych began discussions on that topic during a visit to Turkmenistan last year.
Ukraine currently pays some $416 per 1,000 cubic meters of Russian gas, but Ukrainian officials hope to buy Turkmen gas for some $200 per 1,000 cubic meters.
The only route connecting the two countries passes through Russia, however.
Berdymukhammedov's visit to Ukraine is the first for a Turkmen leader in a decade.
