KIEV, June 20 – Prime Minister Mykola Azarov on Sunday rejected reports that Ukraine’s national gas company Naftogaz Ukrayiny was going to be merged with Russia’s gas giant Gazprom.

Azarov reacted to comments by Alexei Miller, the CEO of Gazprom, who said the talks are underway and the merger would probably be carried out in two steps.

“There will be no any merger,” Azarov said in an interview with 1+1 television. “There will be an attempt to find an organization form that would produce synergy from Naftogaz and Gazprom.”