The European Union, Russia and Ukraine have agreed to continue official trilateral contacts on gas, EU Energy Commissioner Gunther Oettinger, who is also deputy chairman of the European Commission, said in Minsk on Tuesday evening.

The EU's goal has been and continues to be to avoid any problems with the security of gas supplies for all 28 EU countries, plus the Western Balkan nations, as well as Ukraine and Moldova, in the coming months, Oettinger said.

Therefore, something needs to be done, Oettinger said, adding that he has proposed coming to an interim solution.

He recalled that two lawsuits by the parties are pending in Stockholm arbitration court. But this process will take 12-15 months, and Europe cannot wait for rulings from Stockholm, it needs a temporary solution for the coming winter, Oettinger said.

The EU, Ukraine and Russia have agreed to continue consultations and perhaps will manage to reach an interim solution and agree on a temporary gas price, he said.

Since there was a constructive atmosphere in Minsk, Oettinger said he is confident that the parties now have common approaches for their next trilateral meeting.

And perhaps gas will open the door for the whole high-level political process in the coming weeks and months, the commissioner said.