BRUSSELS, October 2 (RIA Novosti) – The exact date for the next round of gas talks between Russia, Ukraine and the European Union has not been set yet, Ukrainian Energy Minister Yuriy Prodan told journalists Thursday.
"[The date] is undefined," Prodan, who held a bilateral meeting with EU Energy Commissioner Gunther Oettinger earlier on Thursday, said.
On Wednesday, Prodan said that the trilateral gas talks in the European Union-Russia-Ukraine format were likely to be held on Friday.
Later in the day, the Russian energy ministry's press service said the talks would not be held this week and that the date of the trilateral gas meeting would be determined next week.
Kiev is not happy with the winter package for Russia's natural gas deliveries to Ukraine, endorsed by Russia and the European Commission during the ministerial gas meeting in Berlin last Friday.
According to the plan, Ukraine would have to repay $3.1 billion of its gas debt to Russia and pay in advance for the delivery of five billion cubic meters of gas at a price of $385 per 1,000 cubic meters, with a discount of $100.
Kiev, however, rejects Russia's offer of the discount in the form of an export-duty exemption and wants the contract price to be reduced instead.
Ukraine also wants to agree the debt repayment schedule, as well as terms and schedules of future gas deliveries and insists on amending the current gas contract with Russia in order to formally authorize reverse deliveries of Russian gas to Ukraine from Europe.
