Russia, Ukraine and EU to hold further gas talks in April

[WorldNews]

By Barbara Lewis and Vladimir Soldatkin BRUSSELS/MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia, Ukraine and the European Commission will hold a new round of gas supply talks next month in pursuit of a deal that could help to defuse wider tensions between Moscow and Kiev. A preliminary meeting in Brussels on Friday had never been expected to yield major progress, with the two sides still far apart as they jostle for position in the negotiations while European Union officials have set a target date of June for a new accord on how much Ukraine should pay Moscow for its gas. Speaking after the talks, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said Russia would be willing to consider a discount, but a take-or-pay clause that requires Kiev to buy a certain amount of gas whether it needs it or not would apply from April 1.

 

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