MOSCOW, August 27 (RIA Novosti) -Russia remains a reliable energy partner for Europe and hopes that Kiev will approach the forthcoming Russia-EU-Ukraine gas talks constructively, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday.
"We welcome the readiness to continue gas talks of Russia, Ukraine and the European Union, and this will be done in the coming days. We hope that Ukrainian negotiators will approach the matter constructively," the spokesman told reporters.
He added that Russia remains a reliable energy partner for Europe and expressed hope that Ukraine fulfills its transit obligations.
The talks on energy issues involving the energy ministers from Ukraine, Russia and the European Union will be held on September 6.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk claimed earlier in the day that Russia was planning to "cut all delivery of energy resources to Ukraine» and «halt gas transit in winter completely, even to European Union consumers."
Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said Moscow was set to fulfill its European gas delivery contracts, regardless of political situation in transit nations, including Ukraine.
Previous trilateral talks took place in several rounds between April and mid-June, but did not yield major results. Kiev insisted on a dramatic reduction in prices for Russian gas and refused to clear its debt of $4.5 billion at the time. Russia suggested a price reduction, but Ukraine did not agree to the conditions of the offer.
Russia's Gazprom switched to prepayment system for gas deliveries to Ukraine on June 16. Moscow said it was ready to resume the discussion only once Ukraine had paid off its debt, which stands as $5.3 billion, according to the most recent estimate.
