Russia's Energy Minister Alexander Novak said that Russia offered Ukraine a more flexible schedule to clear the debt for gas, RIA Novosti reports.
Under the new proposal, $1.451 billion is to be paid before the start of gas supplies. The rest of the amount - before the end of the year. The total debt is evaluated at $3.1 billion.
Novak added that Ukraine stood ready to pay in advance for only 4 billion cubic meters of gas instead of the offered 5 billion, which did not correspond to Russian interests.
Ukraine's debt for the Rusisan gas has not diminished. Ukraine's Prime Minister Yatsenyuk said that the payment was made in the amount of 1.67 billion dollars. However, an official spokesman for Gazprom said that the payment had not arrived.