UPDATE: Min says Russia, Ukraine, EU can hold gas consultations in Sep

(Rewrites story, adds details throughout)

MOSCOW, Jun 13 (PRIME) -- Russia, Ukraine and the E.U. can hold consultations on gas supplies and transit across Ukraine in the second half of September, Energy Minister Alexander Novak said on Thursday after a meeting with European Commission Vice President for Energy Union Maros Sefcovic.

“In general, we’ve confirmed to the E.U., to Mr. Sefcovic that Russia has a constructive position here, is ready to ensure and continue gas transit across Ukraine, to ensure supplies to the European consumers,” Novak said.

Novak said that the details of gas transit across Ukraine were not discussed at the meeting.

Ukraine ceased gas purchases from Russia in November 2015. The current supply and transit contracts between Russia and Ukraine expire at the end of 2019.

Novak also said that Russia expects non-discriminatory access of its gas pipelines to the E.U. market. “We expect a non-discriminatory and depoliticized approach to the pipeline projects from Russia to the E.U. and we think that unilateral sanctions of the U.S. on joint gas transport projects with participation of European companies are inadmissible,” he said.

“We are convinced that Nord Stream-2 and TurkStream are commercial projects and make a real contribution to the Northern and Southern Europe energy security respectively,” Novak said.

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