European Commission to talk gas with Russia

Brussels - The European Commission will hold expert-level talks with Russia on Thursday to try to solve the Ukraine gas price row, Energy Commissioner Guenther Oettinger said on Tuesday.

"We will first hold a technical meeting on expert level between my services and Russia in Brussels on Thursday September 4," Oettinger said in a statement.

The meeting is a follow-up to Oettinger's meeting with Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak in Moscow last Friday and aims to further analyse figures on security of supply next winter.

Oettinger said he would then meet Ukrainian Energy Minister Yuri Prodan in Baku, Azerbaijan, on September 8.

After this meeting, Ukraine, Russia and the Commission will agree on a date and location for the next round of trilateral gas talks which could take place in mid-September, he said.