KIEV, Nov. 24 - Ukraine??™s natural gas exports to Europe will probably fall about 40% on the year in 2005 due to a three-month ban on gas exports imposed earlier this year, an official said Thursday.

Ukraine will export about 3 bln cubic meters of gas in 2005, down from 4.9bcm exported in 2004, Oleksiy Ivchenko, the head of Naftogaz Ukrayiny and deputy energy and fuel minister, said.