EU takes no side in Russia-Ukraine dispute

PRAGUE (Reuters) - European Union president the Czech Republic said on Saturday it did not intend to become a participant or mediator in gas contract disputes between Russia and Ukraine, but urged both sides to reach an agreement soon.

Russia halted gas supplies to Ukraine, through which a fifth of the EU's gas transits, on January 1, and negotiations have been slow to reopen.

Russian gas flows to four EU members have dropped below normal levels in the past two days, and the bloc is expected to hold a crisis meeting in Brussels on Monday.

Speaking after meeting a representative of Russia's Gazprom, Czech Deputy Prime Minister Alexandr Vondra said both sides' commitments to consumers should be met during the dispute.

Vondra said complications could arise if the dispute dragged on, but added that EU countries had sufficient reserves for now.

The Czechs took over the rotating EU presidency from France on Thursday, and have resisted getting pulled into the dispute between Russia and Ukraine.

"I want to say clearly, and we agree on this with the European Commission: We refuse to be participants or arbiters in this dispute that we consider a business dispute," Vondra said.

"Russia and Ukraine must agree fast. There is no other way, they have to solve their dispute."

Vondra met earlier with Gazprom's export head and deputy CEO Alexander Medvedev, and said he was assured Gazprom intends to keep its supply commitments to the EU.

Vondra reiterated that the presidency would call an extraordinary meeting of EU envoys on Monday to brief on its meetings with Russia and Ukraine, and propose measures.

(Reporting by Jan Korselt, writing by Jason Hovet; editing by Tony Austin)