KIEV, July 28 - Ukraine and the European Union made progress in talks over a loan that would help Naftogaz Ukrayiny to buy enough Russian natural gas to ensure steady gas transit in the winter, a top official said Tuesday.

Bohdan Sokolovskiy, President Viktor Yushchenko’s energy envoy, said the progress was reached at the final stage of the talks on Friday after the government had backed reforms drafted by the presidential office.