BRUSSELS (AP) — Russia and Ukraine will resume talks aimed at trying to clinch a deal guaranteeing that Ukraine will receive shipments of Russian natural gas this winter.

The European Union, which is hosting the negotiations, announced Thursday that Russia's minister for energy and Ukraine's minister for energy and coal industries will meet Friday in Brussels.

The EU said the "firm objective" of the talks is reaching agreement on the winter gas supplies.

Ukraine has asked Russia for lower prices as well as a write-off of some loans Russia has given Ukraine. Moscow has insisted on a full repayment of $3 billion it loaned Ukraine in 2013.

Past gas disputes have led to cutoffs in supply. In 2009, one gas standoff caused serious disruptions in Russian gas shipments to other European nations.