Putin in Yalta; gas agreement signed

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Ukraine for an official visit on 19 November, as energy officials from the two former Soviet republics signed a natural gas deal. The Russian prime minister flew to the Ukrainian Black Sea resort city Yalta for two days of official meetings, including scheduled one-on-one talks with Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko. An energy agreement pushed by Putin and Tymoshenko was made public on 19 November as well, with officials from Ukraine's natural gas monopoly Naftohaz Ukrainy announcing the signing of a contract with the Russian natural gas monopoly Gazprom setting out specific volumes of fuel to be shipped through Ukraine to European consumers in 2010. Planned volumes were practically unchanged from 2009, according to a Naftohaz Ukrainy statement. Putin was due to bring three of his most influential officials to Ukraine -- deputy prime minister Igor Shuvalov, energy czar Igor Sechin and finance minister Alexei Kudrin, Putin's foreign policy aide Yury Ushakov said. Alexei Miller, chief executive of the Russian gas giant Gazprom, and energy minister Sergei Shmatko were also expected be present for talks.