You're reading: Voice of America: Russia and Ukraine in EU-backed talks to avoid more ‘gas wars’

Voice of America: Russia and Ukraine in EU-backed talks to avoid more ‘gas wars’

Published July 17, 2018 at 3:54 pm

German Economy Minister and Energy Peter Altmaier (L) and European Commission Vice-President in charge of Energy Maros Sefcovic shake hands after a joint press conference on July 17, 2018 at the Economy Ministry in Berlin as Germany hosts trilateral ministerial talks with Russia and Ukraine on the long-term transit of gas to Europe.

Photo by AFP

MOSCOW — Officials from Moscow and Kyiv are set to gather in Berlin on July 17 for E.U.-backed talks on the future of the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine in a bid to minimize disputes when the current contract expires next year.

Russian gas giant Gazprom has already dramatically reduced the volume of gas transiting via the country, as Moscow and Kyiv remain at loggerheads over the annexation of Crimea and simmering conflict in the east of Ukraine.