MOSCOW, Sept. 26 – Russia has given up the idea of engaging Ukraine into the Customs Union and is ready to discuss the establishment of a tripartite consortium on the management of the Ukrainian gas transportation system (GTS) involving the European Union, Russian Kommersant newspaper wrote on Monday.

Citing diplomats who attended Saturday's meeting of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, the newspaper concluded that the tension in Russian-Ukrainian relations started to ease.

"The meeting has been momentous for Yanukovych, especially in the view of the recent events in Russia. The two leaders - both Medvedev and Putin – have found time to meet with him, it is important for the Ukrainian president," one of the Russian negotiators told the newspaper.