Russian President Vladimir Putin has vowed to ensure gas supplies to Ukraine, Ukrainian Prime Minister Yury Ekhanurov said on Friday.

"Mr. Putin declared that gas deliveries to Ukrainian consumers must be ensured," Ukraine's Era FM radio quoted Ekhanurov as saying.

Russia's state-run natural gas monopoly Gazprom has threatened to stop supplying gas to Ukraine by New Year's Day if Kiev does not agree to the four-fold price increase it has demanded.

Talks were continuing in Moscow on Friday between two countries on the issue.

Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko rejected on Thursday Russia's offer of a multi-billion-dollar loan to help his country adjust to the new gas prices.

Ukraine relies on Russia for about a third of its gas needs and on Turkmenistan for 45 percent.

Ekhanurov also said Friday that Ukraine will receive 40 billion cubic meters of natural gas from Turkmenistan in 2006 because an agreement has already been signed.

Source: Xinhua