The Russian Federation could loan Ukraine up to USD 2 bln to pay for gas it receives from Russia, newspaper Vedomosti reported yesterday. Reportedly the loan will be a topic for upcoming talks between Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Yulia Tymoshenko when they meet in Kharkiv in October. At the beginning of the year, Ukraine was reportedly seeking a USD 4-5 bln loan from various countries, including Russia, in order to pay its gas bill.