EU energy chief expects gas talks with Russia, Ukraine by mid-September

MOSCOW (Reuters) - European Energy Commissioner Guenther Oettinger told Reuters on Friday he expects the trilateral talks between Russia and Ukraine, brokered by the EU, to resume by mid-September. Oettinger has been in Moscow where he met Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak. Russia stopped supplying Ukraine with gas in June after the former Soviet republics failed to agree on gas price and debt. Around half of Russian gas exports to Europe flow via Ukraine. (Reporting by Denis Pinchuk; writing by Vladimir Soldatkin; Editing by Polina Devitt)