KIEV, April 29 - Russia seeks to create a bilateral joint venture with Ukraine to operate its massive natural gas transportation system without participation of European entities, the Russian ambassador said Monday.

Mikhail Zurabov, the Russian ambassador to Ukraine, said an idea of creating a trilateral joint venture earlier suggested by Kiev, was “questionable.”

Instead, Russia would be willing to secure the bilateral joint venture and will guarantee supplies of at least 60 billion cubic meters of gas via Ukraine annually.