KIEV, February 7 (RIA Novosti) - Ukraine hopes to sign a long-term agreement on natural gas supplies from Turkmenistan, the Ukrainian energy minister said Tuesday.

"Bilateral agreements on gas supplies through the year 2031 have already been drafted and could be agreed on shortly," Ivan Plachkov said.

He said the deal was likely to be formalized during Turkmen President Saparmurat Niyazov's upcoming visit to Ukraine in March.

In December 2005, the two countries signed a year-long contract on the supply of 40 billion cubic meters of Turkmen natural gas at a price of $44 per 1,000 cu m.

Ukraine boosted energy cooperation with Turkmenistan at the end of last year, when its main natural gas provider, Russia, threatened to cut off supplies over a price dispute.