KIEV, June 20 - The government on Wednesday voted to approve a dramatic 32.5% cut in Russian natural gas imports in 2012, disappointing Gazprom and underscoring a lack of progress in talks over lower natural gas prices.

Ukraine’s national energy company, Naftogaz Ukrayiny, will import 27 billion cubic meters of gas from Russia in 2012, down from about 40 billion cu m in 2011, Energy and Coal Industry Minister Yuriy Boyko said Wednesday.

“The key decision approved is reducing gas imports to 27 billion cu m,” Boyko told reporters after a government meeting.