KIEV, Jan. 11 - Ukraine imported 57 million cubic meters of natural gas from Europe in 2012 under a contract with German gas supplier RWE, a source at Naftogaz Ukrayiny, the national energy company, said Friday.

Ukraine began the European gas imports for the first time in November 2012, but plans to dramatically increase the imports in 2013 as it seeks to reduce dependence on Russian energy.

“We were importing about 1 million cubic meters per day, just in line with the contract,” the source said. “This should increase in 2013.”