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Russia, EU and Ukraine prepare draft agreement on gas — Novak

Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said that he hopes the sides will reach a final agreement in the near future

Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak Alexei Druzhinin/Russian Presidential Press and Information Office/TASS

Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak

© Alexei Druzhinin/Russian Presidential Press and Information Office/TASS

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Russia ready to look for solution of Ukrainian gas issue acceptable for all — Putin

BERLIN, December 19. /TASS/. Russia, Ukraine and the European Union have prepared a draft agreement on gas after talks in Berlin, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak told a press conference on Thursday.

"We have prepared a draft protocol — a detailed protocol — which is at the high stage of readiness and currently requires being coordinated," Novak said. "I hope we will reach final agreements in the near future," he added.

He noted that the sides have discussed specific volumes of Russian gas transit via Ukraine and terms of the future contract at consultations in Berlin. "Yes, of course, we discussed these issues," Novak said in response to a question on whether the sides discussed specific terms of the contract and volumes of gas trasnsit at the talks.

The Russian energy minister said that another round of gas transit talks with Ukraine will be held in the near future. He refrained from commenting on a possibility of reaching a gas agreement before the end of 2019. "No comment. We said [the press conference] what is ready as of today," he stressed.

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Israel retaliates missile launches from Gaza Strip — IDF

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