Gas transit from Russia to Europe through Ukraine may resume soon, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said Sunday after talks with his Ukrainian counterpart Yulia Tymoshenko.

Russia and Ukraine have reached a new deal on gas transit for 2009, said Putin and Tymoshenko in a joint televised statement.

"All natural gas supplies will resume as soon as these documents are signed," Tymoshenko said.

Moscow and Kiev agreed that Russia would sell Ukraine gas "based on the European price formula" but would offer a 20 percent discount for 2009 if Ukraine agreed to preserve a preferential fee schedule for gas transits to Europe.

Russia cut off gas supplies via Ukraine to Europe on Jan. 7, one week after it halted supplies to Ukraine over the price of Russian gas Kiev buys.

Russian gas giant Gazprom reopened its taps to Europe on Tuesday morning under a three-way agreement signed by the EU, Ukraine and Russia, but no gas has reached Europe.

Russia accused Ukraine of blocking the gas flow, but Ukraine argued that Russia's choice of the gas route was technically "unacceptable."

(Xinhua News Agency January 18, 2009)