KIEV, June 8 - Naftogaz Ukrayiny, the national energy company, on Thursday declined a request from the Russian gas company Gazprom to travel to Moscow for talks over natural gas transit contract after 2019.

Naftogaz, a key shipper of Russian gas to Europe, indicated it would only hold such talks in Brussels or any other place in the European Union.

“The Russian Federation is an unacceptable country for Naftogaz to hold the negotiations with Gazprom,” the Ukrainian company said in a press release.