KIEV, Oct. 30 - President Viktor Yanukovych on Wednesday assured Eni of Italy and EDF of France that Ukraine is committed to their oil and gas projects in the country that may improve its energy independence.

The meeting comes 10 days after the government has approved a draft production sharing agreement with a consortium led by Eni and EDF to tap Ukraine’s oil and gas fields offshore the Black Sea.

“Ukraine is a country that has big and ambitious plans for increasing output of oil and natural gas to improve its energy independence,” Yanukovych said at the meeting, his press service reported.