Trilateral gas talks between Russia, Ukraine and the European Union are underway, Sergei Kupriyanov, a spokesman for Russia gas giant Gazprom, told journalists on Thursday.
The gas talks in Brussels have been proceeding for more than six hours. Earlier, a representative of Russian energy ministry said that the talks had started with bilateral consultations between European energy commissioner Guenther Oettinger and Unkraine's Minister of Energy and Coal Industry Yuri Prodan followed by Oettinger's meeting with Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak.
After that, a trilateral meeting started.
"The talks are still underway and will not end soon," a source in the Russian delegation said earlier.
The trilateral gas meeting is tasked to find solutions to three key problems: the price and pricing formula for Ukraine, possibilities for financial support to pay for more gas, and a format of agreement between Moscow and Kiev, Oettinger said before the trilateral meeting.
Oettinger once again said that the talks would center round prepaid gas supplies, without the take-or-pay condition.
The Russian side hopes to be through with the gas talks and sign all documents on Thursday, Novak said before talks. "We are set to reach a final agreement and sign all documents," he told journalists.