Gazprom's $7-billion bill sent to Naftogaz Ukrainy should be seen as a signal for legally settling the problem of Ukraine taking less gas than it was due to import under a 2009 take-or-pay contract with the Russian gas company, Russian Ambassador to Ukrainian Mikhail Zurabov said.

"We are saying now that this is a signal to look for a compromise," Zurabov said at a news conference in Kyiv on Friday.

"From a purely formal viewpoint, Russia had to signal its preparedness for settling this issue, because the contract contains this provision," Zurabov said.