KIEV, Oct. 7 - Ukraine may start Russian natural gas imports within days and may do so even without formally signing an agreement with Russia, Volodymyr Demchyshyn, the energy minister, said Wednesday.

“I think we will start [the imports] in the near future,” Demchyshyn told reporters after a government meeting. “This is a matter of days.”

Ukraine and Russia have tentatively agreed on a new gas supply deal during a meeting hosted by the European Commission in Brussels on September 25, but have so far delayed the signing of the agreement.