"In 2007, the price for gas will be acceptable for Ukraine," Yuriy Boiko said in an interview with Ukrainian TV channel One Plus One.
At the moment, Ukraine pays $95 per 1,000 cubic meters of mixed gas from Russia and Turkmenistan. The pricing formula is based on a rate of $230 for Russian gas and $60 for the Central Asian republic's gas under a January deal for the first half of 2006.
Ukraine's newly elected Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych said Wednesday after talks with his Russian counterpart that the current price would remain in place until the end of the year.
Boiko said the price increase next year would not be significant.
"Everything is calculated according to market approach to pricing, starting from the border with Uzbekistan-Tajikistan and finishing with gas transit through Ukraine," the minister said.
