Back on May 27, the Ukrainian government preliminarily approved the text of a memorandum on the prospects for importing liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the United States. The document must still be signed by the Ukrainian side and the U.S. company involved, the Lafayette-based Louisiana Natural Gas Exports (LNGE). The agreement reportedly envisages supplies of 5.5 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas annually, for the period of 20 years (112.ua, June 15). Such volumes, however, will require additional gas infrastructure expansion in the region and, thus, may not happen earlier than in a few years. Another stumbling block is the fact that Ukraine’s Naftohaz appears to be objecting to the U.S.-proposed pricing formula (Interfax, June 10).