KIEV, Dec. 15 ??“ Ukraine, which is involved in an severe natural gas dispute with Russia, entered potentially even more difficult talks over gas prices with Turkmenistan, an official said Thursday.

Turkmenistan, Ukraine??™s biggest source of natural gas, said it will hike prices 36% to $60/1,000 cu m starting Jan. 1, 2006, up from $44/1,000 cu m currently.