KIEV, July 10. /ITAR-TASS/. Volodymyr Groysman, Ukraine’s vice-premier and minister of regional development, construction and housing and utilities sector, told a briefing on Thursday that Ukraine might purchase 6-7 billion cubic meters of gas from Russia in 2014.

“We may need to buy 6-7 billion cubic meters of gas to go through the winter heating season normally. Negotiations, including with European partners, are underway. I do not see any grounds for Russia’s refusal to sell gas to us,” Groisman said, noting that Russia should not unilaterally double the gas price for Ukraine.

The vice-premier said that a coordination center set up on order from Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk to prepare for the heating season had been assigned with the task to maximum reduce gas consumption.

Andriy Kobolev, the chief of Ukraine’s Naftogaz, said Ukraine might be short of about 6 billion cu m of gas this winter because of lack of agreements with Russia.

“That is why the population should save about 4 billion cu m of gas,” he said.