BRUSSELS, Feb. 12 – The European Commission hopes Ukraine will consult with it in advance regarding possible signing of a bilateral agreement with Russia on the creation of a gas transport consortium, and is ready to provide Ukraine with further assistance.

Marlene Holzner, the spokesperson for European Commissioner for Energy Gunther Oettinger, said this in an interview with an Interfax-Ukraine reporter in Brussels on Tuesday, while commenting on recent reports that Ukraine and Russia are allegedly negotiating the possible creation of a bilateral consortium for the management of Ukraine's gas transport system (GTS) without the participation of Brussels.