Russian-Ukrainian talks on the signing of a new long-term contract to transit natural gas from Russia across Ukraine continue, Ukrainian Prime Minister Oleksiy Honcharuk has said.

"Give us one or two days more," he said at a briefing in Kyiv on Friday, asking journalists not out questions related to this issue.

As reported, Ukraine, Russia and the European Commission in Minsk on December 20 signed an intergovernmental protocol providing for a package agreement with the payment of $2.9 billion by Gazprom to Naftogaz under the award of the Arbitration Institute of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce, the parties rejected existing claims, including the settlement of a fine of the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine of $7.4 billion, and the signing of a transit agreement for five years (2020 for 65 billion cubic meters, 2021-2024 for 40 billion cubic meters each) with the possibility of extending it for 10 years. At the same time, Naftogaz will assume the risks of tariff formation for gas transit by Gas Transmission System Operator of Ukraine LLC (GTSOU).

According to Executive Director of Naftogaz Yuriy Vitrenko, on December 24, a meeting of the Naftogaz and Gazprom teams was scheduled for December 26 to finally agree on the terms of the contracts.

Vitrenko also expressed hope that the parties would be able to agree on the terms of the agreements and complete the process already on Friday, December 27, but at the same time added that, if necessary, work would continue on the weekend.

More detailed information on the outcome of the December 26-27 meetings that are being held in Vienna is not yet available.