Ukraine Could Buy 1 bcm of Russian Gas in 2014

Ukraine will most probably buy around 1 billion cubic metres (bcm) of Russian gas by the end of the year, Energy Minister Yuri Prodan said on Friday.

Russia, which cut off supplies to Ukraine in June because of a standoff over prices, has insisted that Ukraine pay for future supplies in advance. Until now Kiev has not committed to new orders as a separatist conflict weighs on its flagging economy.

Earlier on Friday a newspaper interview quoted Prodan as saying Ukraine planned to buy up to 1.5 bcm.

"I talked about it being up to 1.5 (bcm), but most likely it will be around 1 billion," Prodan later told journalists.

Reporting by Pavel Polityuk