Vulin: Serbia could buy out Gazprom Neft’s share in NIS if necessary

BELGRADE, September 29 - RIA Novosti. Serbia, if necessary, could buy out a controlling stake in Gazprom Neft in the Oil Industry of Serbia (NIS), which is under US sanctions, says former Deputy Prime Minister of Serbia, founder of the Movement of Socialists party, Alexander Vulin.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic complained in November 2025 that his state had not received the right of first refusal to purchase a majority stake in the Russian-Serbian NIS. According to him, the Serbian authorities offered the Russian side to cede Serbia's share.

“From the Serbian point of view, if necessary, (it would be possible - ed.) to sell the enterprise to Serbia. So that it does not go to Hungary or somewhere else, so that the company remains in Serbia, so that it can manage this resource of its own. Not everything is so simple, but I know that the Russian side has always taken into account the interests of Serbia,” Vulin told RIA Novosti.

The Serbian President said earlier that in a telephone conversation with Russian leader Vladimir Putin last Saturday, he expressed hope that the resolution of the situation around NIS under US sanctions would suit both sides.

The Russian-Serbian company, under US sanctions, previously requested from the US Treasury to extend its operating license after September 30, when the previous license expires.