ASTANA, June 12 – The European Union supports Ukraine in preserving the status of a transit country, but stresses the need for reforms, Deputy Minister of Energy and Coal Industry for European Integration Issues Natalia Boiko said following a meeting with Vice President of the European Commission on Energy Union Maros Sefcovic.

"We have discussed the issue of maintaining Ukraine's status as a reliable transit country, and we discussed all possible actions on our part, the support they can give us. Our position is as follows: Russia is trying to use the Nord Stream as an instrument of political pressure, the situation with the Turkish Stream is the same. Mr. Sefcovic understands and supports us, we are in a constant dialogue," Boiko told reporters in Astana on Monday.