KIEV, Feb. 8 - President Viktor Yushchenko, in a sharp contrast with Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, said it was “premature” to remove RosUkrEnergo as Ukraine’s sole gas supplier, suggesting the move would only boost natural gas prices.

The comment comes amid escalating dispute between Ukraine and Russian gas monopoly Gazprom, which had threatened to cut gas supplies to the country on Monday unless $1.5 billion debt settled.