EU to intervene in gas row if no deal reached

PRAGUE (Reuters) - Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek warned on Wednesday that the European Union would take a more forceful approach towards the Russia-Ukraine gas row if supplies to Europe are not resumed by Thursday.

"If supplies are not resumed by tomorrow, we will have to see stronger intervention from both the EU presidency and the EU as such," Topolanek, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency, told a news briefing.

He said there was still a chance for the Russian and Ukrainian firms involved to resolve their dispute at talks on Thursday, but added if there was no such agreement, "discussions will have to be escalated to the highest political level."

(Reporting by Mark John, writing by Jan Lopatka)