KIEV, Dec. 25 - Ukraine apparently agreed to a substantial hike in price of natural gas that will be supplied from Turkmenistan next year, Energy and Fuel Minister Ivan Plachkov suggested Sunday.

Turkmenistan, Ukraine's biggest source of gas, has been seeking to increase the price 36% to $60/1,000 cubic meters in 2006, while Ukraine had been insisting on leaving the price at $44/1,000 cu m.