Vucic Says U.S. To Impose Sanctions on Nis Oil Company

Oil and gas company NIS (Photo: NIS)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Dec. 14 that, though he had not yet seen any official document that the U.S. would be imposing sanctions against the Serbian NIS oil company, he had been informed through "official channels" that this would happen on Jan. 1, 2025.

In an appearance on the Serbian Broadcasting Corporation, Vucic said the news had come at a difficult time, but that the government would discuss the matter with the U.S. and Russia, and strive to preserve good relations with both.

Asked if Belgrade deciding to impose sanctions against Moscow would change anything, Vucic said he was not prepared to discuss that and that Serbia would continue with its "principled policy." On Dec. 13, Vucic announced that the U.S. would levy sanctions against NIS because of its Russian ownership, and that the UK would join these sanctions.

He said it would be difficult to find a solution, but that the U.S. needed to give Serbia some time to see what the sanctions entailed.