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Russia-Ukraine gas dispute

Expert-level gas talks of Russia, EU and Ukraine to begin in Brussels on Wednesday

Contracts with Kiev on Russian gas supplies to Ukraine and on gas transit via Ukraine to Europe are to expire in late 2019

© Vladimir Smirnov/TASS

BRUSSELS, September 11. /TASS/. Trilateral expert-level gas talks involving the European Union, Russia and Ukraine will begin in Brussels on Wednesday, September 12, European Commission Spokesperson Anna-Kaisa Itkonen told TASS on Tuesday.

"The talks will start tomorrow afternoon," she said, without elaborating on who will take part in the consultations.

In 2009, Gazprom and Naftogaz of Ukraine signed two contracts - the contract for the supply of Russian gas to Ukraine and the contract on gas transit through Ukraine to Europe. These contracts expire in late 2019. The transit of Russian gas after 2019 is now discussed in the context of the planned construction of the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline from Russia to Germany, which will bypass the transit states.

Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak told reporters at the Eastern Economic Forum earlier on Tuesday that trilateral negotiations between Russia, Ukraine and the EU on the gas transit can be held in October.

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Russia-Ukraine Gas Dispute

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