(ANSA) - BRUSSELS, JANUARY 18 - The European Commission announced today that the second round of trilateral talks between the European Union, Moscow and Kiev on the transit of gas through Ukraine will take place on Monday, 21st January, at 3 pm in Brussels. The price of gas, volumes, duration and legal framework will be on the agenda. The two sides are engaged in talks with the EU to reach a new agreement on gas supplies as soon as possible. The existing transit contract between Moscow and Kiev will expire at the end of 2019, and EU aims to prevent Russia from closing the passage of hydrocarbons permanently through Ukraine, which would lead to a lack of supplies for Ukrainian citizens. "Exactly six months have passed since we met in this format for the first time in Berlin. A couple of talks at senior expert level have taken place since then and it is time to take stock of where we are in the process and discuss the way forward on the key parameters we agreed. We need a strong commitment by the two sides", EU Commissioner for Energy, Maros Sefcovic, pointed out. The meeting will take place with the participation of Sefcovic, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak, and the delegates of Naftogaz, the Ukrainian gas company, and Gazprom, on the Russian side.(ANSA).