EU Commission says it will continue gas supply talks with Ukraine

The European Commission will continue talks with Ukraine on natural gas supplies to Europe and will include Hungary and Slovakia in these talks, according to a statement shared by an EU diplomat and seen by Reuters on Monday.

The statement was read out to EU ambassadors on Monday morning ahead of a meeting of foreign affairs ministers who will discuss the rollover of Russia sanctions, which must be renewed every six months.

Hungary has been holding up the renewal of the bloc's sanctions on Russia, the renewal of which must be through a unanimous vote. The deadline is Jan. 31. As of Friday, Hungary had not yet decided whether to go ahead with the rollover.

Prime Minister Viktor Orban said last week sanctions were hurting Hungary's economy and that gas supplies via Ukraine should resume for the bloc's energy security.

"The Commission is ready to continue discussions with Ukraine on the supply to Europe through the gas pipeline system in Ukraine," the statement said.

"The Commission is ready to associate Hungary in the process along with Slovakia."

Russian gas supplies through Ukraine stopped on Jan. 1 after a transit contract expired. Slovakia and Hungary have been pushing the EU to step in to resume flows through a major pipeline.