This file photo shows the Shebelinsky gas processing plant of Ukraine's Naftogaz national oil and gas company near the northeastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv on Aug 5, 2014. (PHOTO / AFP)

KYIV - Ukraine stands ready to extend gas transit from Russia if there is a request from the European Union countries, the Interfax-Ukraine news agency reported Monday, citing Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.

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"If the European countries act as a consortium or one of the European partners will act as a transit country for their gas - we are ready to provide such a service," Shmyhal told a press conference.

He (Ukrainian PM Denys Shmyhal) stressed that Ukraine will not extend the existing gas transit contract or sign a new contract with Russia 

Ukraine can seal a deal on gas transit with the European Commission or a group of European countries that are interested in maintaining the transit, Shmyhal said.

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He stressed that Ukraine will not extend the existing gas transit contract or sign a new contract with Russia.

Ukraine's state-run energy company Naftogaz and Russia's gas giant Gazprom signed a gas transportation agreement in December 2019. The contract envisages that Ukraine would transit 40 billion cubic meters of Russian gas per year during the 2021-2024 period.

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Last year, Russia's gas transit via Ukraine was down by 28.4 percent to 14.6 million cubic meters.