BRUSSELS, January 17.  /ITAR-TASS/. The foreign ministers of the 28 European Union states will discuss preparations for an upcoming Russia-EU summit at a meeting in Brussels on January 20, the office of EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton said Friday.

A spokesman for the office said the summit would be held in a new format proposed by European Council President Herman Van Rompuy and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and agreed upon with Ashton.

Differences between Russia and the EU, as well as the state and prospects of the Moscow-Brussels strategic partnership will be discussed at the summit, which is due to be held January 28.