KIEV, Nov. 5 - Ukraine will import Russian natural gas only if its demand begins to exceed capacity for European gas imports, Andriy Kobolev, the head of Naftogaz Ukrayiny, the national energy company, said Wednesday.

The comment shows that Ukraine is in no hurry to start Russian gas imports and will do so only if air temperature drops significantly. It comes days after Ukraine, Russia and the European Union signed a deal opening door for resumption of Russian gas supplies to Ukraine.