Berlin welcomes ‘first big step’ in Kyiv-Moscow gas talks

"The minister [Peter Altmaier] welcomes the agreement in principle... The first big step was taken yesterday," Spokeswoman for Germany's Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy Beate Baron said at a briefing in Berlin on Friday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

As for the details of agreements, the terms and prices, the German side will not reveal them before the agreement is finalized and reminds that the parties continue negotiations on December 20.

As reported, Energy and Environmental Protection Minister of Ukraine Oleksiy Orzhel and Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said after the 5th round of gas transit talks that

a final protocol had been elaborated which brought the parties closer to signing the final agreements. They also expressed confidence that a constructive result would be reached in the near future.

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