KIEV, Dec. 7 - President Viktor Yushchenko warned there was a threat that Russian gas giant Gazprom may eventually acquire Ukraine’s natural gas pipelines in a debt-for-assets transaction, and said the government was doing little to prevent the scenario.

The comment underscores Yushchenko’s push for changing the controversial 10-year natural gas agreement negotiated between Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Yulia Tymoshenko in January.