Brussels - Ukraine's Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko on Wednesday called the head of the European Union's executive to set out her country's position in its gas row with Russia, less than two hours after her Russian counterpart did the same, EU officials said.

Tymoshenko called European Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso to "inform him about the negotiations over the gas supply to Ukraine and the possible consequences for Europe," a statement released in Brussels said.

Moscow/Kiev  - Russian export monopoly Gazprom on Wednesday accused its Ukrainian counterpart of negotiating in bad faith as talks on preventing a gas embargo failed, setting the stage for a new energy crisis in Europe.

Ukrainian and Russian government representatives quit negotiations in Moscow some two hours ahead of a promised New Year's cut-off of gas deliveries by Russian energy giant Gazprom to Ukraine, as punishment for a 2-billion-dollar Ukrainian debt.

Kiev  - Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko on Wednesday called a Russian offer on gas pricing "unacceptable" and urged negotiators to work harder to reach an agreement before a Kremlin-set midnight deadline for full-scale cut in gas deliveries.

Yushchenko rejected Russia's proposal to hike the price of natural gas sold to Ukraine from 179 dollars per 1,000 cubic metres to 250 dollars, on grounds the Russian offer left practically unchanged transit fees to be charged Russia by Ukraine for natural gas shipped to Europe.

Moscow - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said Moscow had offered and kiev had refused the "very favorable" price of 250 dollars per 1,000 cubic metres, or 40 per cent more, for gas next year.

Putin made the comments in a televised speech as talks with Ukranian officials in Moscow over non-payments and the pricing dispute came down to the wire, increasing the likelihood Gazprom would cuts gas from January 1.

Moscow  - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev urged Ukraine to exercise "common sense" and strike a deal with Russia on gas imports to smooth gas supplies to European customers ahead of a New Year's Eve deadline for gas cuts.

"We can make only one recommendation to our Ukrainian partners: make a reasonable decision as fast as possible," Medvedev said.

Kiev  - Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko cancelled a trip to Moscow on Wednesday for last-ditch negotiations to avoid gas cuts by Gazprom on January 1 if Kiev fails to pay down a 2-billion dollar debt before midnight.

"There are enough specialists from (Ukraine's) Naftogaz undertaking negotiations in Moscow for the signing of a future gas contract," the Ukrainian government said in a statement to news agency Interfax.