KIEV, Sept. 10 - The construction of the second phase of the Nord Stream gas pipeline would deprive Ukraine of the opportunity to pump 140 billion cubic meters of Russian natural gas to the European Union and to make $2 billion on this annually, Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatseniuk said at a joint press conference with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico in Bratislava on Thursday.

"What does the Nord Stream II construction mean for Ukraine? First, it absolutely excludes Ukraine from transit supplies to the European Union. Second, it's the loss of $2 billion in revenues that we get for the transit and safe shipment of gas to the European Union. And third, it's simply unjust both to our European partners and to Ukraine," he said.