Russia: Fresh Ukraine gas talks planned Friday with EU

Russia will hold a fresh round of EU-mediated gas talks with Ukraine in Brussels on Friday, Moscow's energy ministry and the EU said, as the clock ticks down on the current deal.
"Trilateral negotiations will take place on 20 March in Brussels in the Russia-Ukraine-EU format with the participation of Energy Minister Alexander Novak," the ministry said in a statement.
European Commission spokeswoman Anna-Kaisa Itkonen later tweeted: "Confirmed: EU-Russia-Ukraine trilateral gas talks take place in Brussels Friday 20 March."
The talks will come on the same day as a summit of EU leaders in Brussels.
Russia agreed with Ukraine earlier this month to continue supplying it with gas until the end of March, after a pay dispute that threatened to disrupt vital deliveries to Europe.
The disagreement was the latest stage in a lengthy saga between the two foes over gas supplies that Ukraine says is Russia's revenge for its pivot towards the West since the ousting of Kremlin-backed leader Viktor Yanukovych last year.
The EU receives about a third of its gas from Russia with half that amount transiting via Ukraine pipelines.