MOSCOW- Gazprom has sent a formal letter to Ukraine proposing either to extend a current gas deal or sign a new one-year agreement, the Russian gas exporter said on Monday .
It also said that it had offered to drop legal claims and counter-claims by both Ukraine and Russia as a pre-condition for the deal.
The current deal on Russian gas supplies to Ukraine and its transit via the country to Europe expires on Dec. 31.
(Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin; editing by Jason Neely) ((vladimir.soldatkin@reuters.com; +7 495 775 12 42;))
