Ukrainian, Russian presidents plan to start gas talks Wednesday - Oettinger
The negotiations on Russian gas supplies to Ukraine could be elevated to the level of heads of state, Gunther Oettinger, the European energy commissioner, told a press conference in Brussels following the latest round of three-party talks.
Oettinger said talks at the highest level ought to be held in parallel to the talks between Russian and Ukrainian ministers, the heads of Gazprom and Naftogaz Ukrainy and European Commission officials.
The presidents of both countries plan to begin talks today, he said.
He said the minutes of previous meetings which the EC has drafted ought to facilitate talks between the presidents.
Oettinger said be believed both sides were prepared for compromise, but that the complex political situation, which was making the search for compromise difficult, had to be taken into consideration.
