国际英语新闻:Trilateral talks on Ukraine gas reaches agreement: EU

BRUSSELS, Oct. 30 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) on Thursday said that trilateral talks on Ukraine gas issue has reached an agreement.

According to EU officials, the trilateral gas talks among Ukraine, Russia and the EU has been concluded with an agreement to sign contract to guarantee Russian gas deliveries to Ukraine through March 2015.

Speaking at a press conference, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and Energy Commissioner Gunther Oettinger expressed welcome over such agreement.

Barroso called the agreement enabling continued gas supplies as best way to end his mandate as President of the European Commission, saying it is an important step for shared energy security on European continent.

"No reason now for people in Europe to stay cold this winter," Barroso said.

Oettinger also said citizens of Europe will get guarantee of gas supply this winter.

From the talks, Ukraine gained a discount price of 378 U.S. dollars per 1,000 cubic meters by the year end and is about to pay 1.45 billion U. S. dollars of gas debt immediately.

According to Oettinger,Ukraine will use EU and IMF aid to pay for Russian gas.