Russia's energy giant Gazprom on Tuesday threatened to cut gas supplies to Ukraine if the country rejects new terms for gas supplies, the RIA-Novosti news agency reported.

Alexei Miller, chairman of Gazprom, said "If a contract on delivery of Russian gas to Ukraine is not signed by Jan. 1, 2006, then Gazprom will not have any reason to deliver gas to Ukraine."

"A compromise is certainly possible and it is known to the Ukrainian side -- it is the issue of a gas transport consortium," Miller said.

Gazprom earlier warned that the gas supply dispute with Ukraine could threaten supplies of gas to Ukraine's European neighbors to the west because Ukraine is the main transit route for such supplies.

Gazprom has insisted on raising the price it charges Ukraine to what it considers an international market rate -- 160 U.S. dollarsper 1, 000 cubic meters.

Source: Xinhua