Ukraine's parliament approved a law on Thursday to allow gas transit facilities to be leased on a joint venture basis with participation from firms in the European Union or United States.
Ukraine will hold 51 percent and foreign partners will be offered 49 percent in the venture, which would manage both transit pipelines and underground gas storage facilities.
The law was backed by 228 deputies, only two votes more than the minimum necessary for the adoption of the bill.
/AzerTAc/