MOSCOW, May 9 (Reuters) - Russian Deputy Foreign

Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Friday he could not confirm that

Russia was discussing with the United States the resumption of

Russian gas supplies to Europe, Interfax news agency reported.

With a frost covering Europe's energy relations with Russia,

officials from Washington and Moscow have held discussions about

the U.S. helping to revive Russian gas sales to the continent,

eight sources familiar with the talks have told Reuters.