Poland’s state-controlled energy group Orlen has opened talks over taking a stake in Ukrnafta, Ukraine’s largest oil producer belonging to state-owned Naftogaz Group, CEO Ireneusz Fąfara said on Thursday. Orlen already ranks among the most prominent fuel suppliers to the country, and Fąfara framed a possible Ukrnafta deal as a way to lock that position in for the long term.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. The disclosure may mean another prominent foreign investor on Ukraine’s market – and this time, deepened cooperation between Naftogaz Group subsidiary after successful securing of LNG gas supply during last year’s heating season. Polish news agency PAP Biznes reported Fąfara’s comments at a press conference on Thursday. “We have begun a conversation about the possibility of getting involved in Ukrnafta. We are in the process as one of the partners,” Fąfara said. “Whether this will happen and what form it will take is a matter for negotiation with the Ukrainian side, but I would like to emphasise once again that we are one of the partners in the negotiations.” Orlen’s Mažeikiai refinery in Lithuania sells almost 18% of its products in Ukraine, Orlen CEO said. Also, Orlen moves around 1.5 million tonnes of refinery products into Ukraine each year and, since last summer, has shipped roughly one gas tanker a month to the country, he added.