Next Round of Trilateral EU-Russia-Ukraine Gas Talks Set for April

Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said that the next round of trilateral EU-Russia-Ukraine gas talks will be held in April.

BRUSSELS (Sputnik) — The next round of trilateral EU-Russia-Ukraine gas talks will be held in April, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said Friday following the meeting with Kiev and the European Commission officials in Brussels.

Novak's Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Demchyshyn confirmed that another round of trilateral gas talks will take place between April 13-14, adding that the negotiations are set to be held in Berlin, Germany.

The Russian energy minister also noted that the Fridays's talks marked the beginning of negotiating the "summer package" for Russian gas supplies to Ukraine.

"This is only the beginning of work on the "summer package," on the conditions of the summer supplies, " Novak said, stressing the constructive nature of the talks in Brussels.

The summer package is set to replace the current gas delivery deal which expires on March 31, after which Ukraine will be automatically switched to the 2009 contract.

Currently, Kiev pays $329 for 1,000 cubic meters of Russian gas, which includes a $100 discount.

Ukraine is a transit country for about 40 percent of Russian gas delivered to European consumers.