Ukraine has signed a new agreement with Russia that it should lead to the resumption of gas supplies to Europe, Gazprom, the Russian energy provider, said.

The deal struck on Monday, which allows independent monitors to observe natural gas supplies transiting through Ukraine, removes conditions that Kiev added to an earlier agreement.

"A Gazprom delegation held talks in Kiev this morning. After the talks, the Ukrainian side signed 'Rules on Monitoring Gas Transit through Ukraine' with no additional provisons," the statement said.

The EU's Czech presidency said that there was now no reason for Russia not to resume gas supplies.

Ukraine had signed a deal on Sunday but made amendements to the deal declaring that Kiev had not siphoned off European-bound gas as Moscow had claimed and had no outstanding debts to Gazprom.

Russia subsequently said the changes had nullified the agreement.

Brussels delegation

Russia has now sent a delegation to Brussels, the EU headquarters and Belgian capital, for talks concerning the resumption of supplies.

Alexei Miller, Gazprom's chief executive, was part of the delegation, according to a company source.

Also travelling to Brussels was Igor Sechin, the Russian deputy prime minister, and Sergei Shmatko, the energy minister, a source in Brussels said.

"The deal needs to be re-signed anyway by all parties. Only then monitors will start arriving at gas compressor stations and gas will resume flowing," a Gazprom source said.

Sechin and Miller were signatories to the original monitoring deal.

However, gas will not begin to flow immediately after the deal. It will take at least 36 hours to reach normal levels.

Many Europeans are already into their second week of freezing winter temperatures without heating due to the withdrawn stocks.

Russia halted supplies on Wednesday saying that Ukraine had been siphoning off gas. The dispute has cost Gazprom - a monopoly gas export provider in Russia with partial state ownership - about $800 million.