Aleksandar Vučić said the government is determined to avoid any form of nationalisation or seizure of property in the case of oil company NIS, stressing that a concrete solution must be reached within seven days. Speaking at a government session, he emphasised that Serbia will support Russia in negotiations with a third party over a potential change of ownership — but if the sides fail to agree on a price, the state is prepared to offer more money to buy NIS rather than resort to forced measures.
Vučić warned that Serbia faces a serious deadline: without U.S. approval enabling the flow of crude oil, the country could face a complete collapse of supply by 13 February, halting refinery operations.
He said he would appeal directly to American officials for support, despite acknowledging that U.S. sanctions created the current restrictions. At the same time, he insisted that Serbia wants to show it does not intend to “take anything from anyone”, noting that the majority ownership is Russian and that Moscow has the right to decide on its assets.
The President also confirmed ongoing talks with potential European and Asian buyers. If negotiations fail, he said Serbia is ready to “overpay” to secure control of NIS and protect national energy security. Vučić instructed the finance ministry to set aside €100 million for additional fuel reserves and revealed he had asked U.S. officials for an extra week to prevent Serbian banks from facing sanctions, saying he expects confirmation soon.
