Gazprom spokesman Sergey Kupriyanov spoke to radio station Moscow Echo and said there is a 50-50 chance that Russia will cut off gas supplies to Ukraine on January 1 or find a resolution. 

"We are looking for ways to do it (avoid a supply cut), including prepayment for transit. I hope we will be able to do it (negotiate a settlement) in the remaining days,” he said. 

Kupriyanov also said continuing negotiations would be focused on finding ways for Ukraine to pay its debts through other means, such as the transit fees that Russia pays for sending gas across its territory or for Ukraine to return gas it has stockpiled in underground gas storage. 

"In the last days of the year we are trying to find ways other than monetary ones to settle these debts.  I hope that in the remaining days we will succeed in doing this," said Kupriyanov. 

In addition, Kupriyanov remarked that Gazprom will fulfill its obligations to Europe but noted that it cannot rule out disruptions to European supplies if Ukraine siphons off transit gas during a crisis.