KIEV, Dec. 26 – Ukraine sharply reduced imports of Russian natural gas from the middle of December, Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller said Friday, adding that this may be a sign of “very serious” financial trouble.

“We see and hear that Ukraine is suffering some very serious problems with paying for Russian gas supplies in December,” Miller told reporters in Moscow. “Our Ukrainian colleagues are now taking much less gas than has been contracted.”

This may explain the nature of two telephone calls between Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and her Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin over the past week.

Putin and Tymoshenko discussed undisclosed “trade” and “economic” issues as recently as Thursday, according to a report by Putin’s press service. Tymoshenko’s office did not report the phone call.

The phone calls come as talks between Ukraine and the International Monetary Fund over $2 billion emergency lending collapsed last week after the government has failed to push through Parliament the 2010 budget.

The government hoped to use the IMF’s money for paying for Russian gas imports in December, according to a person familiar with the situation.

Now, the government has been seeking the IMF’s permission to use foreign exchange reserves of the National Bank of Ukraine to pay for gas imports.

Miller said that Ukraine had originally agreed to increase imports of gas in December to meet growing demand and in anticipation that the gas price will increase in January 2010. But than things changed in the middle of December, he said.

“The pattern changed towards considerable reduction of gas imports in the middle of the month, which indirectly confirms that Ukraine has serious problems with paying for Russian gas,” Miller said.

Gazprom last week agreed to extend the deadline for making an estimated $800 million payment by four days – to January 11 - following talks with Naftogaz in Moscow.

This almost certainly rules out any gas supply disruptions between Ukraine and Russia early next months, but may trigger problems when January 11 the deadline comes.

President Viktor Yushchenko, one of Tymoshenko’s rivals ahead of the next election due on January 17, 2010, said the government will probably be short of money to pay the gas bill. But he said “Ukraine will pay” for gas, suggesting the NBU will make the payment.

“Speaking about January 11: Ukraine will pay, but the prime minister won’t,” Yushchenko said.

Tymoshenko denied speculation that the problems mount with Ukraine making the next gas payment.

“The statements like this came out before the end of each month for almost a year, but we, Ukraine, clearly and confidently handle our financial life through the crisis,” Tymoshenko said. (sb/ez)