According to diplomatic sources quoted by Serbian media, the United States sees only two possible solutions to the issue surrounding Serbian oil company NIS, which remains under U.S. sanctions because of its Russian ownership. The first option would involve selling the Russian-held shares to a company with no ties to Russia, while the second would be the nationalization of the stake currently owned by Gazprom and Gazprom Neft.
U.S. officials reportedly view these as the only acceptable paths forward, emphasizing that the key goal is to prevent Russia from profiting from assets in Serbia that could indirectly support its military operations in Ukraine.
Although Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has described nationalization as a last-resort measure, diplomatic sources suggest that it could ultimately turn out to be the most practical and realistic solution.
American representatives have repeatedly stressed that the sanctions are not aimed at Serbia or its citizens, but are part of broader international efforts to pressure Russia to end the war in Ukraine. President Vučić stated earlier this week that he expects an update on the future of NIS soon — possibly by the end of this week or early next week.
The United States imposed sanctions on 9 October, targeting NIS due to its majority Russian ownership structure.
