BRUSSELS, August 1. /TASS/. The European Commission offered Russia and Ukraine to make a gas transit contract for ten years from the start of 2020 and this proposal will be discussed at trilateral gas talks of Russia, Ukraine and the EU at the ministerial level, a diplomatic source in Brussels told TASS on Thursday.

"Vice President of the European Commission in charge of the Energy Union Maros Sefcovic sent letters to Moscow and Kiev last week with proposals to hold trilateral ministerial talks on conditions of transit and gas supplies through Ukraine from January 1, 2020 on September 16 in Brussels. The date has not yet been confirmed formally but both parties already stated the consent in principle to hold talks," the source said.

"The main topic of trilateral talks will be the proposal of the European Commission to sign a gas contract for ten years from the start of 2020," the source said. Russia said earlier it is ready only to consider extension of the current contract for one year.

The last ministerial meeting in Russia-EU-Ukraine format on gas transit was held in Brussels on January 21 and the parties failed to reach understanding there on the issue of Ukrainian gas transit or mutual claims of the Russian gas holding Gazprom and Naftogaz of Ukraine. The decision was made after talks to proceed with consultations after completion of the electing cycle in Ukraine.