MOSCOW, March 31 - The deal between Ukraine's Energoatom nuclear monopoly and the US' Westinghouse on possible supplies of fuel for Ukrainian nuclear power plants in 2011-2015 signed on Sunday has as its aim to force Russia's state nuclear corporation TVEL, a traditional nuclear fuel supplier to Ukraine, to reduce its price, experts believe.

"Talks are under way between Russia and Ukraine over a long-term contract for fuel supplies. We have already submitted our proposals to the Ukrainians. Energoatom probably wants to drive our prices down," head of the nuclear fuel safety department at the Kurchatov Institute Alexei Ivanov said, commenting on the above deal.