KIEV, May 15 - Ukraine would spend about $4 billion to pay its natural gas debt to Russia by end of May if Gazprom cancels a recent steep gas price hike, deputy energy and coal industry minister Ihor Didenko said Thursday.

Gazprom estimated that Ukraine owes more than $3.5 billion for gas supplies as of early May, and Ukraine planned to import about $920 million worth of gas in May.