KIEV, June 26 (RIA Novosti) - Ukraine's prime minister-designate said Monday the country should conclude its gas deals directly with suppliers, rather than by going through intermediaries.

Gas has been a sensitive topic in Ukraine since a bitter spat with Russia over prices saw supplies briefly cut off earlier this year. A compromise deal was reached, but some politicians have repeatedly called for Ukraine to take the issue back to the negotiating table.

Referring to Russia and the Central Asian republic of Turkmenistan, the main suppliers of natural gas to Ukraine, Yulia Tymoshenko said, "I am sure the three countries should conclude contracts directly, without the involvement of any interpreters or semi-legal intermediaries."

She said direct negotiations over gas contracts would begin in Ukraine as soon as a coalition government comes to power. The new government is expected to be formed in two weeks' time, under a deal reached last week by leaders of three major Ukrainian parties in the wake of a March 26 election.

Tymoshenko said Thursday she would reconsider all of the country's current deals with Gazprom. Officials representing Russia's state-owned gas monopoly warned that this could spark a new energy crisis in Europe, with most of Russian gas pumped to European consumers via Ukraine.