Peskov: Putin, Zelensky may discuss gas at Dec 9 Paris summit

MOSCOW, Nov 29 (PRIME) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Vladimir Zelensky may discuss gas during the Normandy summit in Paris on December 9 if any technical problems remain unsolved until then, Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Friday.

“In general, there is understanding that detailed negotiations should happen at a working level first. If any problematic issues remain without agreement, the presidents may use the meeting in Paris, where they will have a chance for dialogue one way or another, to discuss the gas topic as well. Time is running out, we are in a race against time, but intensive communication is going on,” he said.

Still, it is too early to speak about the prospects of Russian gas transit through Ukraine after January 1, 2020.

“First, intensive communication is going on, and it would be too early to give any assessment as long as it is going on. You know that communication is taking place both through the European Commission’s mediation and in a bilateral format,” he said.

He also said that it would be wrong to announce the gas price that Russia had offered to Ukraine as it is subject of commercial negotiations between Gazprom and Naftogaz Ukrainy.

Ukraine stopped direct purchases of Russian gas in 2015. The current gas supply and transit contracts between the countries expire at the end of 2019.

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