Serbia asks US to ease sanctions pressure on Gazprom-linked refinery

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has asked the United States for more time to resolve the issue of Gazprom’s control over the country’s only oil refinery, which has been sanctioned by the US. This is reported by Bloomberg, according to UNN.

I hope the US doesn’t start imposing secondary sanctions at least until mid-December, when Serbia hopes to resolve issues related to the Russian gas giant’s stake in NIS.

He urged American officials not to punish Serbian financial institutions that process retail and other payments at gas stations owned by the refinery.

The publication notes that the US expects Serbia to convince Gazprom to sell its stake in NIS or gain control over the refinery through nationalization.

Vučić rejected any unilateral actions against the Russian company, which has controlled NIS since 2008.

“I am not a communist or a fascist,” the Serbian president said.

It is noted that US sanctions against Gazprom and Rosneft are part of the Trump administration’s efforts to force Russia to negotiate to end the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. According to officials, these measures are not aimed at harming Serbs, but at the Russian presence in the refinery. Gazprom owns 56% of NIS shares.

“Now Vučić is in a difficult position, as Russia has refused to withdraw from NIS, and US sanctions are beginning to take their toll. Serbia also continues to rely on gas imports from Russia, which could stop if the government in Belgrade takes a hostile step against Russian interests in the refinery,” the publication adds.

RecallThe United States Department of the Treasury has officially imposed sanctions against leading Russian oil companies Rosneft, Lukoil, and their subsidiaries.

The US called on Moscow to “immediately” agree to end the war against Ukraine.

Vladimir Putin stated that the new US sanctions are serious, but will not affect the Russian economy. He called them an attempt at pressure and an unfriendly act that does not strengthen Russian-American relations.

Donald Trump reacted to these words. He ironically noted that he was glad to hear about the dictator’s “confidence,” but noted that he would prefer to see how Russia would cope with them.

Oil company Lukoil intends to sell its foreign assets after the US Treasury Department imposed sanctions.