KIEV, Nov. 18 - Ukraine will pay its $1 billion debt to Russian gas giant Gazprom before the end of the year, Energy and Coal Industry Minister Eduard Stavytskiy said Monday.

The debt, which accumulated for Ukraine’s imports of gas in August and in October, led to tensions between Naftogaz and Gazprom earlier this month.

“It’s about $1 billion,” Stavytskiy told reporters. “It will be repaid by the end of the year.”