Altmaier: Talks on Russian gas transit advancing with difficulty

BERLIN, Nov 7 (PRIME) -- The negotiations between Russia, Ukraine and the E.U. on Russian gas transit through Ukraine are advancing with difficulty, Germany’s Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy Peter Altmaier said at a conference on Wednesday.

“We have started dialogue, direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine on continuation of transit after 2019… under the E.U. chairmanship… The negotiations are are held at an expert level, and they are tough but there is no sensible and justifiable alternative to this,” Altmaier said.

The current contract of Russian gas transit across Ukraine will expire at the end of 2019. Russia and Ukraine are in litigations over disagreements in the supply and transit payments.

Altmaier separately said that Germany advocates Russia’s Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline but the transit role of Ukraine must remain.

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