Berlin has achieved an exemption for Rosneft subsidiary from US sanctions
28.10.2025 - 14:42
The United States has officially confirmed that Rosneft’s German business is not subject to new sanctions, as these assets are no longer controlled by Russia.
This is reported by Reuters.
German Economy Minister Katharina Reiche told the agency that the US government has sent Berlin written confirmation that Rosneft’s German assets are exempt from new energy sanctions.
According to Reiche, on the evening of October 27, the US issued the so-called “Letter of Comfort”, which acknowledges that Rosneft’s German operations are completely separate from its Russian parent company.
Berlin demanded clarification from Washington after the administration of President Donald Trump introduced new sanctions that prohibit Western banks and companies from cooperating with sanctioned Russian companies.
Germany has insisted that Rosneft’s operations in the country, which have been under state management through proxies since 2022, are “decoupled” from Russian influence and are critical to the country’s energy security.
Among these assets is the PCK refinery in Schwedt, one of the largest in Germany, providing more than 12% of the country’s fuel processing capacity.
Rosneft Deutschland, which owns 54.17% of PCK Schwedt, is one of the main employers in the federal state of Brandenburg, where support for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has recently been growing.
As a reminder, on Wednesday, October 22, the US imposed sanctions on Russia’s largest oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil. The sanctions also affect about 50 of their subsidiaries.
