KIEV, June 3 - Ukraine insisted that Russia must cancel its recent 80% hike in price of natural gas to avert a lawsuit and possible further aggravation, Prime Minister Arseniy Yatseniuk said Tuesday.

Russian gas giant Gazprom on April 1 hiked gas prices more than 80% to $485 per 1,000 cubic meters, up from $268.5/1,000 cu m in the first quarter.

“We realize that the price of $268/1,000 cu m was a bribe to the previous government, but we insist on maintaining it,” Yatseniuk said in an address to Parliament.