BRUSSELS, November 19. /TASS/. The European Commission (EC) has recommended direct purchases of the Russian gas totaling around 15 bln cubic meters per year to Ukraine to reduce expensive reverse supplies, a source in the EU’s institutions close to trilateral gas talks told TASS on Tuesday.

"The European Commission has recommended Kiev to return to direct purchases of the Russian gas totaling around 15 bln cubic meters starting 2020 to reduce costs on reverse purchases of the same gas," the source said. The interlocutor explained that the return to direct purchases would make it more interesting for Russia to use Ukraine’s gas transport system to pump gas to Europe, as well as ease gas tariffs tensions. The Ukrainian side is attempting to offset additional costs incurred by Kiev due to the refusal to purchase gas directly through raising tariffs on Russian gas supplies, the latter added.

The source refused to provide comments on Moscow’s request to withdraw all mutual claims of Russia’s Gazprom and Ukraine’s Naftogaz, as well as to abandon the performance of already taken court decisions.

The European Commission suggested earlier that the second technical meeting of experts from Russia, Ukraine and the European Union be held on November 19 to prepare another round of ministerial trilateral gas consultations scheduled for late November. However, neither of the parties confirmed holding the technical meeting.