With Russia-Ukraine-EU gas transit talks starting today in Brussels, Ukraine backs the EU proposal of a minimum annual gas flow of 60 billion cubic meters, with an upside cap of 90 billion square meters, Ukraine’s new Energy Minister, Oleksiy Orzhel, told reporters Wednesday. This would about be 75% the amount of Russian gas the flowed across Ukraine last year. With the 10-year gas transit pact expiring Jan. 1, talks resume after a leisurely 8-month break requested by Russia. At stake are $3 billion in transit fees paid yearly by Gazprom to Ukraine.