KIEV, Feb. 14 - Ukraine will not agree to create a bilateral joint venture with Gazprom to operate its gas pipelines unless Russia allows supplies of Turkmenistan’s gas via its territory, an official said Thursday.

Ukraine and Turkmenistan on Wednesday signed memorandum that calls for resumption of gas supplies from the Central Asian country and possible shipments further to Europe via the Ukrainian gas pipelines.

But the plan has long been opposed by Russia, which owns a pipeline that delivers gas from Turkmenistan to Ukraine and enjoys a near monopoly on gas supplies in the region.