Russia’s Gazprom announced on Tuesday that natural gas producers in Central Asia want to sharply raise export prices to ”European” levels starting in 2009, in a move that could complicate already tense energy negotiations between Kiev and Moscow and lead to higher prices for European consumers.

The announcement, made after the Russian gas company’s chief executive, Alexey Miller, met with top energy executives from Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, signals that Ukraine could face a fourth stiff price increase on gas in as many years. European consumers could also face higher prices.