The Moscow Time reported that talks on Ukraine's debt for natural gas will continue Wednesday after the country failed to fully meet a repayment deadline.

Kommersant-Ukraine reported Ukraine's state energy firm Naftogaz Ukrainy paid USD 300 million to repay a debt to Gazprom for deliveries of Russian gas in September. The paper said that an additional USD 250 million was to be paid recently.

Gazprom has said that Ukraine's debt totals USD 2.4 billion and should be paid by January 1st.

In Kiev, Mr Viktor Yushchenko president of Ukraine formed a strategic group to improve relations with Russia. Mr Raisa Bogatyryova, secretary of the National Security and Defense Council said that "This strategic group will work out a mechanism for a dialogue of constant action."