08/12/2016 (Agence Europe) – On Thursday 8 December, the European Commission confirmed that a session for talks between Russia and Ukraine had been organised on 9 December in Brussels, through the mediation of the EU. The aim of this meeting is to conclude an agreement on Russian gas supplies to Ukraine over winter 2016/17 and to secure the transit through Ukraine of Russian gas purchased by the EU. This session will consist of two bilateral meetings- one between the EU and Russia and one between the EU and Ukraine, before a trilateral meeting. The talks will be attended by the Russian Minister for Energy, Alexander Novak, his Ukrainian counterpart, Ihor Nasalyk, as well as representatives from respective Russian and Ukrainian gas companies, Gazprom and Naftogaz. The talks will be chaired by the Commission Vice President in charge of the Energy Union, Maroš Šefčovič. (EH)