Ukraine is ready to accept a loan from Russia in order to pay its debt to Gazprom, the country's Energy and Coal Industry Minister Yuriy Prodan announced.

The event follows the statement of Gazprom's chief Alexei Miller, who insisted that Ukraine should "immediately" deliver on its liabilities to the energy giant worth USD 2.2 B (EUR 1.6 B).

"If Russia provides the loan... we are ready to make full payments for the gas," Prodan was quoted as saying by Russian outlet RBC Daily.

In December 2013, under ousted Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, Kiev and Moscow agreed on a USD 15 B (EUR 11 B) loan, which was however frozen after turmoil in Ukraine's capital and other cities.

Earlier on Tuesday, Russia announced a second gas price hike for Ukraine, short after a delegation from the country tried to re-negotiate conditions of its debt and pricing regime with Gazprom.

Kiev will have to bay USD 485 per 1000 cubic meters of gas, compared to USD 385 announced on April 1 for the same amount and USD 268.5 which was paid under the previous special rates.