KIEV, Jan. 8 - Ukraine cancelled its earlier plans to hire APCO Worldwide Inc., a Washington-based strategic communication firm, for promoting globally a planned $1 billion liquefied natural gas terminal project, a government agency reported Tuesday.

Ukraine planned to hire APCO to improve the investment image of the project, which had suffered a major setback in November 2012 when Gas Natural Fenosa of Spain denied it ever supported in.

The State Investment and National Projects Management Agency, which handles construction of the terminal and planned to hire APCO, said “there is no more need in consulting and project image improvement.”