KIEV, March 12 - Ukraine is seeking to secure supplies of crude oil from Azerbaijan and its joint shipments to markets in Europe, Energy and Fuel Minister Eduard Stavytskiy said Tuesday.

Stavytskiy traveled to Azerbaijan on Tuesday for talks with his Azeri counterpart Natik Aliyev.

Ukraine has been seeking supplies of crude amid plans to restart the Odessa oil refinery later this month, according to Stavytskiy.

The refinery, which was recently acquired by well-connected Ukrainian gas trader SEPEK from Lukoil of Russia, had been staying idle since April 2010.