BRUSSELS, January 21. /TASS/. Further detailed discussion of the Russian gas transit via Ukraine after 2019 is possible only after settlement of litigation between Gazprom and Naftogaz of Ukraine, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak told reporters on Monday after trilateral gas talks in Russia-EU-Ukraine format.

"We certainly believe that we need to settle problems and legal proceedings existing at present in order to discuss specific details of the contract [for Russian gas transit via Ukraine after 2019 - TASS]," Novak said. 

A proposal made by Naftogaz of Ukraine to reduce the amount of claims under a new action against Gazprom from $12 bln to $2 bln in case a new contract is signed is absurd and is not perceived by Russia, Novak added. 

"This is a somewhat absurd position of our Ukrainian partners because this is a new action we do not perceive at all, because it is an action in respect of volumes that will not be allegedly pumped in future in case the contract is not made. We understand pretty well that this cannot be considered as a matter of principle," the energy minister said.