Russia`s gas monopoly Gazprom plans to raise the price for sales to Ukraine to $130 from $110 per 1,000 cubic metres of gas, the Kommersant daily on Monday quoted Deputy Chairman Alexander Ryazanov as saying.
According to Reuters, Ryazanov said the new price for end users, which does not include value added tax and transportation costs, would come into effect from July 1, the paper reported.
Ryazanov was speaking after a meeting at the weekend between President Vladimir Putin and Kazakh leader Nursultan Nazarbayev in the Black Sea resort of Sochi at which Russia agreed to a hike in the price it pays for imports of Kazakh gas.
Kommersant said that Kazakhstan had raised the price at which Russia buys Kazakh gas at the Russian-Kazakh border by $90 to $140.
Ukraine has repeatedly clashed over gas with Russia, the transshipper for its supplies of gas from the central Asian states of Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan, and needs huge amounts to run its energy-intensive steel and chemical industries.
The latest deal between Russia and Ukraine was signed in January, when Kiev agreed to a twofold increase in price. The two sides have differed over how long the agreement is valid, with the Russian side saying it would only last until mid-year.
Ukrainian President Viktor Yuchshenko said earlier in May he expects Ukraine to pay a stable price for the next five years, although Gazprom said it would review the agreement from July 1.
