Ukraine does not intend to provide guarantees to Russia in terms of the volumes of gas purchases, Energy and Coal Industry Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Demchyshyn said in Kyiv on Wednesday.

"At the moment we do not need [to send a letter of guarantee]... and all the conditions were spelled out in a tripartite protocol [on gas supply]," he said

Demchyshyn stressed that Ukraine currently has resources to live through the heating season and does not depend on anyone in the matter of gas supplies.

The minister also added that the agency expects the decrease in the gas price in the first quarter of 2016.

"At this point we see the price lower than $200 [per 1,000 cubic meters of gas] at European hubs," he said.

In addition, Demchyshyn said that the 2016 budget envisages the gas price of about $210 per 1,000 cubic meters.