KIEV, Dec. 4 – Parliament, which delayed the 2012 budget draft for weeks to give the government time for natural gas talks with Russia, will approve the draft before the end of December, Parliamentary Speaker Volodymyr Lytvyn said Saturday.

The government has been seeking lower prices for Russian gas in order to reduce state subsidies and to prevent a massive budget deficit next year.

The approval of the budget without cutting the subsidies will most likely make unhappy the International Monetary Fund, which will keep withdrawing the $15.5 billion loan.