Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov on Tuesday announced here that his country would hold talks with Russia over improving bilateral trade and economic relations in early December.

"We will sit at the negotiating table to discuss the restoration of our trade and economic relations and a roadmap for developing our bilateral ties," Azarov told reporters, who failed to disclose the venue of the talks.

The revision of gas contracts between Ukraine and Russia will be one of the main issues on the agenda, he said, who added his government is seeking to amend the current gas contract, approved by the previous government.

Under the current deal, Ukraine is paying more than 400 US dollars per 1,000 cubic meters of Russian gas.

Relations between the two ex-Soviet neighbors have been tense in recent months over the provisions of the bilateral 2009 gas deal and Kiev's plan to sign political-economic pacts with the European Union (EU). The row has led to a 23-percent drop in bilateral trade turnover in the first nine months of the year.

Ukraine suspended a landmark deal with the 28-member bloc last week after failing to get financial aid from its global and European lenders for its struggling economy.