International sanctions

The United States has exempted Türkiye from sanctions imposed on Russia's Gazprombank JSC, thereby allowing Ankara to proceed with its natural gas payments, Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar has announced.

An investigation reveals that Lukoil's Burgas refinery continues to process Russian oil, which is being transported by vessels from Russia's shadow fleet. The oil is transshipped in Bulgarian territorial waters, just a few kilometers from the port of Rosenets, which serves the refinery.

Turkey has received an exemption for gas payments to Russia after the United States imposed sanctions on Gazprombank, Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said on Friday in response to a question from Reuters.

BELGRADE - US Ambassador to Belgrade Christopher Hill said on Monday he was unable to confirm whether the US would impose sanctions on Serbia's majority-Russian owned oil company NIS, and noted that, if imposed, the sanctions should not harm the Serbian economy in any way.

The EU has adopted the 15th package of sanctions against Russia, which includes measures against the so-called third-country shadow fleet that allows Russia to export oil and gas by circumventing Western sanctions.

The European Union has adopted a 15th package of sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, including tougher measures against Chinese entities and more vessels from Moscow's so-called shadow fleet, the EU Commission said in a statement on Monday.

BELGRADE - Serbian Finance Minister Sinisa Mali said on Monday potential US sanctions on Serbia's majority Russian-owned oil company NIS from January 1 would be extremely bad for Serbia but noted that the arrival of a new US administration might be a light at the end of the tunnel.

EU member states have agreed on the 15th package of sanctions against Russia, which includes measures targeting the so-called shadow fleet of third countries that enables Russia to export oil and natural gas while bypassing Western sanctions.

BRUSSELS - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said in Brussels on Tuesday evening he would not change Belgrade's policy of not introducing sanctions against Russia.

Turkey is in talks with the United States and Russia in an attempt to secure a US sanctions waiver so it can continue paying Gazprombank for Russian natural gas imports, Turkish authorities said.