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The Russian President talked with the prime ministers of Bulgaria – Sergei Stanishev, Moldova – Zinaida Grechanii, Slovakia – Robert Fico, about problems of Russian gas transit via Ukraine to Europe, and possibilities for a swift renewal of supplying gas.

The Russian President suggested that a summit be held in Moscow on January 17 with the heads of all states that are consumers of Russian gas.

Eastern European countries – in particular, the Balkans, as well as Slovakia and Moldova – are currently suffering a severe shortage of Russian gas, whose transit is being blocked by Ukraine.

Earlier in the day, Mr Medvedev met with the Chairman of Gazprom's Management Committee, Alexei Miller. The President instructed the Chairman to do all that is necessary in order to quickly resume the transit of gas through Ukraine, subject to terms and conditions that are acceptable to Russia and Gazprom.

Telephone conversations were also held between the Russian President and the President of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso, as well as Mirek Topolanek, the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, which currently holds the presidency of the Council of the European Union.