KIEV, Jan. 13 - Prime Minister Mykola Azarov on Friday dismissed speculation the country was heading towards a major clash with Russia over natural gas supplies, but said the economy should rely more on domestic energy.

Azarov reacted to speculations that Ukraine has been drifting towards the confrontation with Russia over the price of gas supplies that may affect the European Union.

“Why would we go for a war with our Russian brothers? This is an absurd,” Azarov said at a press conference. “But we both have our own economic interests. The way they understand theirs and the way we understand ours.”