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KIEV (Reuters) - Ukraine is ready to sign a new contract to supply Crimea with electricity provided the region is recognized as part of Ukraine, President Petro Poroshenko told reporters at a news conference on Thursday.

Power supplies to the disputed Crimean peninsula, which was annexed by Russia in 2014, have been disrupted after electricity pylons were blown up by unknown saboteurs in November.

Poroshenko also said he expected inflation to be significantly slower in 2016, compared to the rate of 33.3 percent seen last year.