MOSCOW, May 13 - Gazprom and Naftogaz Ukrayiny on Thursday discussed in "greater detail" a recent proposal by Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to merge the two companies, Gazprom said in a statement.

Alexei Miller, the CEO of Gazprom, met Ukrainian Energy and Fuel Minister Yuriy Boyko at the company’s headquarters in Moscow to discuss the merger.

"I am confident the merger of the two companies would become an important part of strengthening European energy security, along with diversification of routes for supplies of Russian gas to Europe," Miller said in a statement.