Ukraine mulls ban on thermal coal imports from Russia

The Ukrainian Coal and Energy Ministry on Wednesday formally asked the government to consider imposing a ban on purchases of thermal coal in Russia.

"The ministry has submitted a draft resolution to the cabinet, asking for banning imports of power-generating coal from Russia," Igor Nasalyk, the country's Energy and Coal Minister, told reporters before a cabinet meeting.

Ukraine may replace Russian coal with those imported from the United States, Nasalyk said, adding that the talks on the issue were underway.

Earlier, Nasalyk had voiced concerns that Russia may purchase thermal coal in the non-government-controlled areas in eastern Ukraine and then resell it to Ukraine as Russian coal.

In mid-March, the Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council had imposed a ban on trade with areas controlled by independence-seeking insurgents in eastern Ukraine.

In the first quarter of 2017, Ukraine has imported 3.6 million tons of thermal coal, of which more than half came from Russia. Endit