BRUSSELS, July 17. /ITAR-TASS/. The EU summit has supported the continuation of trilateral consultations with Russia and Ukraine on natural gas and on the implementation of Ukraine's Association Agreement with the EU, says a statement adopted by the EU summit on Thursday.

“The European Council stresses the European Union’s commitment to pursue trilateral talks on the conditions of gas supply from the Russian Federation to Ukraine and commends the efforts of the Commission in that regard. Finding a swift agreement is important for safeguarding the security of supply and transit of natural gas through Ukraine to EU Member States and for the stabilisation of Ukraine's economy,” the document says.

“The European Council stresses the importance of Ukraine ratifying the Association Agreement with a view to its early provisional application. It welcomes t he holding of trilateral consultations at ministerial level between Ukraine, the Russian Federation and the European Union on 11 July on the implementation of the Association Agreement. In this context, it also welcomes the setting up of a consultation mechanism to address potential difficulties resulting from the effects of the implementation of the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area on the implementation of the Free Trade Agreement of the Commonwealth of Independent States,” the summit’s statement said.