Serbia Discloses Negotiations Involving the US and Russia Regarding Sanctions on Major Oil Company
Aleksandar Vucic announces his intention to engage in discussions with both Moscow and Washington to challenge the US sanctions imposed on Serbia's largest oil company. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has revealed that he will engage in discussions this week with both the US and Russia concerning proposed sanctions against Serbia’s primary oil and gas company, Naftne Industrije Srbije (NIS).
NIS is primarily owned by Gazprom, the Russian state energy giant. In an interview aired on Serbian broadcaster Informer TV, Vucic disclosed that the US plans to impose sanctions on NIS due to its Russian ownership. He mentioned that Belgrade had received confirmation from Washington regarding these sanctions, which could come into effect as early as January 1, 2025.
In a video address shared on Instagram, Vucic reiterated the existence of these plans and noted that discussions had already taken place with Serbia’s national security service, BIA. “We discussed what we managed to obtain as official information that sanctions will be imposed on NIS by the US and some other countries. We discussed how to act in this situation, how to react, and how to ensure the safety of Serbian citizens,” he elaborated, emphasizing that Serbian authorities aim to “initiate negotiations with the Americans, Russians and everyone else” starting Monday.
Vucic highlighted that the primary aim of the forthcoming discussions would be to safeguard Serbia’s energy security. “What is most important for us is that people in Serbia, despite the great problems that we face, do not feel it in their standard of living, in their business, in their daily life in any way,” he remarked.
As of now, there has been no official confirmation from Washington regarding the mentioned sanctions.
Previously, Vucic indicated that sanctions against NIS could pose a significant issue for Serbia, potentially leaving the nation without oil during the winter months. He speculated that the sanctions might represent a “part of broader geopolitical pressure on Russia,” as many Russian entities have faced Western sanctions following the Ukraine conflict escalation.
Despite its neutral stance on the Ukraine conflict, Serbia has retained strong economic connections with Moscow and has consistently opted out of joining sanctions against Russia, despite US and EU pressures. Vucic has also been vocal in criticizing Western nations that have barred Russian energy imports as part of sanctions, cautioning that these countries might soon have to plead with Moscow for energy supplies to sustain themselves.
Navid Kalantari contributed to this report for TROIB News
NIS is primarily owned by Gazprom, the Russian state energy giant. In an interview aired on Serbian broadcaster Informer TV, Vucic disclosed that the US plans to impose sanctions on NIS due to its Russian ownership. He mentioned that Belgrade had received confirmation from Washington regarding these sanctions, which could come into effect as early as January 1, 2025.
In a video address shared on Instagram, Vucic reiterated the existence of these plans and noted that discussions had already taken place with Serbia’s national security service, BIA. “We discussed what we managed to obtain as official information that sanctions will be imposed on NIS by the US and some other countries. We discussed how to act in this situation, how to react, and how to ensure the safety of Serbian citizens,” he elaborated, emphasizing that Serbian authorities aim to “initiate negotiations with the Americans, Russians and everyone else” starting Monday.
Vucic highlighted that the primary aim of the forthcoming discussions would be to safeguard Serbia’s energy security. “What is most important for us is that people in Serbia, despite the great problems that we face, do not feel it in their standard of living, in their business, in their daily life in any way,” he remarked.
As of now, there has been no official confirmation from Washington regarding the mentioned sanctions.
Previously, Vucic indicated that sanctions against NIS could pose a significant issue for Serbia, potentially leaving the nation without oil during the winter months. He speculated that the sanctions might represent a “part of broader geopolitical pressure on Russia,” as many Russian entities have faced Western sanctions following the Ukraine conflict escalation.
Despite its neutral stance on the Ukraine conflict, Serbia has retained strong economic connections with Moscow and has consistently opted out of joining sanctions against Russia, despite US and EU pressures. Vucic has also been vocal in criticizing Western nations that have barred Russian energy imports as part of sanctions, cautioning that these countries might soon have to plead with Moscow for energy supplies to sustain themselves.
Navid Kalantari contributed to this report for TROIB News
