Overview
- President Aleksandar Vučić said the state would pay a “decent” price if NIS cannot operate under U.S. sanctions.
- He cited January 15 as the timeframe for Russian owners to transfer control to a third party, saying Serbia will step in if no deal materializes.
- Operations at the Pančevo refinery have been halted, with Vučić noting 61–62 days without any oil deliveries to the plant.
- Belgrade is working up alternative fuel imports, discussing volumes and routes from Romania, Bulgaria and neighboring states after meetings with EU leaders in Brussels.
- Authorities warned of potential secondary U.S. sanctions on the central bank and commercial lenders that could disrupt payments, while a 164 billion‑dinar budget reserve has been set aside for a possible intervention.