By Holger Hansen
BERLIN (Reuters) -Germany’s economy minister told Reuters on Tuesday that the U.S. government had provided written assurance that the German business of Russia’s Rosneft would be exempt from new energy sanctions because the assets are no longer under Russian control.
Economy Minister Katherina Reiche said the United States issued a “Letter of Comfort” last night, acknowledging that Rosneft’s operations in Germany had been fully separated from the Russian parent company.
Germany had sought clarity from Washington after President Donald Trump’s administration introduced sanctions that bar Western banks and clients from engaging with listed Russian firms.
Berlin had argued the refineries, under German state trusteeship since 2022, are “decoupled” from the parent group, while being essential for the nation’s fuel supply.
Among the assets is the PCK refinery in Schwedt, one of Germany’s largest, accounting for over 12% of fuel processing capacity in the country.
PCK Schwedt, in which Rosneft owns 54.17%, is also a major employer in Brandenburg, a region experiencing rising support for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.
(Writing by Ludwig Burger, editing by Kirsti Knolle)
