Ukrainian Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych said Monday that Ukraine must step up its cooperation with other countries in oil exploitation.

When meeting with heads of Ukrainian diplomatic missions, Yanukovych said the most promising way to diversify energy sources is to ink joint oil exploitation accords with other countries and get oil products on the basis of these agreements.

In view of this, Ukraine must make efforts to develop relations and cooperation with Russia, Central Asian countries, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Libya and other main oil-producing countries, Yanukovych said.

He added that Ukrainian foreign services should pay attention to and urge the implementation of programs on joint coal and gas exploitation that Ukraine had signed up to with the UAE, Egypt and Libya.

The prime minister also spoke of the significance of building a Europe-Asia oil transport corridor. He asked Ukraine's diplomatic missions and trade corps to the European Union, Poland, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Russia to keep an eye on the project and make it their first priority.

Ukraine's annual oil consumption is about 15 million tons, more than 11 million tons of which is imported. Russia is Ukraine's main oil supplier.