MOSCOW, December 25. /TASS/. The payment of $2.9 bln by the Russian gas holding Gazprom to Ukraine within the framework of executing the decision of the Stockholm Arbitration Court is ‘a drop in the bucket’ when compared to potential risks for Russia, First Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak said on Wednesday on the air with the Rossiya-24 TV сhannel.

"Neither Ukraine nor we can predict the extent of winning. Clearly the $2.9 bln we will pay to execute the court decision that has already come into effect is a drop in the bucket, compared to claims and potential risks that Russia might face. Such amounts would be much higher," Kozak stated.

On December 20, Moscow and Kiev announced that a new gas transit contract is agreed for the term of 5 years and that mutual claims between Gazprom and Naftogaz of Ukraine are settled. Gazprom should pay $2.9 bln to Naftogaz by the year-end under the decision made by the Stockholm Arbitration Court.