Germany - the bloc's biggest economy and the main opponent of capping gas prices - said joint purchases, reducing consumption and boosting supply were the way to go instead. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterAhead of the summit, the EU's executive European Commission will propose separately on Tuesday another set of measures to curb high energy prices. They would not, however, include an immediate cap on gas prices, something that has split the bloc. The Croat and Lithuanian ministers backed a wholesale gas price cap, with Croatia also highlighting the need for joint gas purchases among the 27 EU member states. Tytti Tuppurainen, EU affairs minister of Finland - a country generally sceptical of market interventions - said Helsinki was now ready for a "temporary" price cap on gas.

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