Russia and Belarus have held new talks to defuse a row over natural gas imports that threatens to halt imports to Belarus and disrupt energy supplies to the EU on Monday.
With less than 100 hours to go before Belarus must agree to a more than doubling of gas prices, or see supplies cut, both sides expressed guarded hope.
'We are as interested as the Russian side in a result. Today or tomorrow the question will probably be resolved,' said Andrei Zhukov, an aide to Belarus energy minister Alexander Ozerets.
Dmitry Kazakov, the head of Belarus's gas pipeline company Beltstransgaz is in Moscow for talks with Russian state gas monopoly Gazprom. A Gazprom spokesman said contacts were being maintained.
Gazprom says it will end supplies to Belarus early on Monday if the former Soviet republic fails to agree to the price hike.
Belarus, which lies sandwiched between Russia and the EU, is threatening to retaliate by refusing to allow transit of Russian gas to Europe, potentially hitting supplies in Germany, Lithuania and Poland. Belarus says that without a contract for its own supplies, there can be no deal on transit.
Gazprom insists that its price increases - already imposed on Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova - are part of a legitimate move to end Soviet-era subsidies and charge accepted international rates. The European Commission says it is following the situation 'very closely' and has called for a rapid settlement. Belarus serves as the transit point for roughly 20% of Russian gas flowing to Europe, amounting to about 5% of Europe's total gas needs.
