Photo from UNIAN
According to the European Commissioner, it is possible that the meetings will be held at intervals of six to eight weeks.
Regular tripartite talks between Ukraine, the European Union, and Russia on the transit of Russian gas via Ukraine to the European Union after 2019 are set to be held in October this year, the press office of the EU Delegation to Ukraine reported referring to Vice President of the European Commission, Commissioner for Energy Community Maros Sefcovic, following negotiations on July 17.
According to Sefcovic, in mid- September, a high-level commission of top experts on the gas transit issue is expected to lay the foundations for the next tripartite meeting at the political level.
All three parties will authorize high-level experts to work in four areas, which are the gas demand of the European Union; effect of the application of EU rules in Ukraine on the future gas transit contract; certified operator of Ukraine's gas transmission system; and gas tariffs.
In turn, the next tripartite meeting at the political level is to be held in October, according to Sefcovic.
According to the European Commissioner, it is possible that the meetings will be held at intervals of six to eight weeks.
Sefcovic also said that the parties had agreed to separate the discussion of the new transit contract from older issues.
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As UNIAN reported, the existing gas transit contract between Ukraine and Russia's Gazprom was signed in 2009 for a period of 10 years. After it expires (starting 2020), the Russian monopoly intends to minimize volumes of gas transit via Ukraine.
On July 17, the first gas stage of gas talks was completed where the parties exchanged views on a new transit contract that could be concluded from 2020, and agreed to continue talks in the fall.