MOSCOW, June 6 (RIA Novosti) – The date of gas talks involving Russia, the European Union and Ukraine remains to be set, but the European Commission proposed to meet on June 11, the Russian Energy Ministry said Friday.
“They [officials from Brussels] suggested [a meeting] on June 11, but we have not agreed [on the date] yet,” a ministry spokesman told RIA Novosti.
A source from the European side told RIA Novosti earlier in the day that a new round of gas talks could be held June 11, with final decisions taken Monday or Tuesday.
Separate talks between Russia and Ukraine are due to resume this Saturday, Reuters reported earlier in the day, quoting a government source in Kiev. It also added that Kiev may also make a decision to clear its gas debts for 2013.
Ukraine has to pay off its $1.451-billion gas debt for November-December 2013 deliveries sold at the old price of $268 per 1,000 cubic meters and start paying for April-May supplies.
Previously, Russia’s gas giant Gazprom extended a deadline for Ukraine to settle gas debt disputes until June 10. If this is not done before the deadline expires, Russia will introduce an advance payment system for natural gas supplies to Ukraine starting from June 11.
