KIEV, June 04. /ITAR-TASS/. Gas talks between Ukraine and Russia will be held on a bilateral level, Ukraine’s senior government official said.

“Naftogaz and Gazprom are holding talks in Berlin. This is Russia’s proposal,” Ukrainian parliament-appointed Minister of Energy and Coal Industry Yuriy Prodan said on Wednesday.

Ukraine proposed Russia to return to a discount gas price of $268.5 per 1,000 cubic meters. This price was effective in the first quarter of 2014, he said.

“Ukraine said at the talks that the gas price should reach $268.5 per 1,000 cubic meters. Today the talks will continue,” Prodan said.

Answering a question on whether the gas price may reach $370 per 1,000 cubic meters, Prodan said he had heard nothing about such proposal.

On April 30, Ukraine’s debt reached $3.5 billion. On April 1, Gazprom cancelled two discounts and raised the price for Ukraine to $485.5 per 1,000 cubic meters.

Ukraine is a transit country for Russian gas exports to Europe. In order to avoid supply disruption, the consultations within the Russia-Ukraine-European Commission format were started in May.