Russia and EU agree deal after talks between Topolánek and Putin

Russia and the European Union signed a deal on monitoring gas supplies through Ukraine, after talks between Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Saturday. Representing the EU presidency, the Czech leader said he would travel on to Kiev to ask the Ukrainian side to also sign up to the agreement, aimed at ending a dispute which has lead to the worst ever disruption of Russian gas supplies to Europe. Mr Topolánek, who was in Kiev on Friday, said he would remain in the region as long as needed to ensure that gas is again pumped to Europe.