KYIV, November 15 /Ukrinform/. Ukraine shares grounds, principles and philosophy of the European Energy Charter and believes it is a universal instrument for forming Europe's energy policy. That is why Ukraine has ratified it and is an equal participant in the Charter, President Viktor Yushchenko said, while addressing participants in the second international media forum "Ukraine on the Information Map of the World".

The President also said Ukraine would support European initiatives to "politically consider and then economically implement a number of alternative energy projects." Ukraine is actively negotiating on the issue, including the Odesa - Brody oil pipeline, its construction to Gdansk, Mozer, the "Druzhba" ("Friendship") oil pipeline, construction of a refinery and a chemical works in Brody.

By way of commenting on Ukraine's position on talks between the European Union and Russia to sign a global energy agreement, he said this agreement was expected to help answer the questions, which the European Energy Charter, not signed by Russia, failed to respond to so far.

Ukraine broaches this issue in a way that is consistent with its national interests. "We really want energy transportation policy, in which Ukraine dominates, to be an integral part of this agreement between the energy producer and Europe's energy consumers. Ukraine today is a big transporter of Russian gas and oil to Europe, and we'd like the Ukrainian position be considered in this or any other agreement," the Ukrainian President summed up.