EU says Russia/Ukraine gas deal 'very close'

Ukraine's Energy Minister Yuri Prodan arrives for gas talks between the European Union, Russia and Ukraine at the EU Commission headquarters in Brussels October 29, 2014. REUTERS/Francois Lenoir

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Commission said on Thursday that a deal between Russia and Ukraine to unlock deliveries of Russian gas to Ukraine was "very close".

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, who spoke a number of times to Ukraine President Petro Poroshenko, earlier said in a statement that an agreement was within reach.