EU, Russia, Ukraine try to set date for new gas talks

The European Union, Russia and Ukraine are trying to settle on a date for another round of talks on the future of Russian gas supplies to Kiev and Europe, officials said Tuesday.

The European Commission said the three parties held a “constructive technical meeting” on Monday which “paved the way for the upcoming (second) trilateral meeting.

“All parties involved are currently looking into convenient dates,” the Commission said.

EU Energy Commissioner Guenther Oettinger met Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak and Ukrainian Energy Minister Yuri Prodan on May 2 in Warsaw at a first round which notably agreed that Moscow would maintain gas supplies as long as the talks continued.

Russia’s EU ambassador Vladimir Chizov has suggested Wednesday was a “strong possibility” for a meeting, with an informal gathering of EU energy ministers scheduled to take place in Athens on that date.

Since the Warsaw talks, the Ukraine crisis has deepened, with pro-Kremlin rebels in the east having held independence votes on Sunday.

Monday’s technical talks in Brussels coincided with a first trip to Kiev by European Council President Herman Van Rompuy, as well as a meeting of EU foreign ministers, who agreed to increase sanctions against individuals and firms involved in Russia’s annexation of Crimea.