Germany Given Six Months to Restructure Rosneft Assets Under U.S. Proposal

The United States has reportedly proposed that Germany be granted a six-month window to resolve ownership issues surrounding Rosneft Deutschland, a subsidiary of Russia’s state oil company Rosneft. During this period, the firm could temporarily be exempted from U.S. sanctions. 

The Gaze reports this, referring to Bloomberg.

U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration informed Berlin that it is considering issuing a limited, non-renewable general license allowing Rosneft Deutschland to continue operations. German officials are currently reviewing the proposal and are expected to deliver their conclusions within days.

German Economy and Energy Minister Katharina Reiche is expected to raise the issue later this week at the G7 energy and environment ministers’ meeting in Toronto.

The temporary arrangement would aim to minimize the risk of disrupting operations at German refineries where Rosneft Deutschland holds stakes – facilities that together account for roughly 12% of Germany’s total refining capacity, including the key PCK Raffinerie in Schwedt near Berlin. 

However, Washington’s proposal also increases pressure on Berlin to design, by March 2026, a new ownership structure that fully eliminates Russian participation once the trust management period expires.

The suggested six-month license would be significantly shorter than the two-year waiver granted by the United Kingdom last week. Without U.S. approval, Rosneft Deutschland could lose access to major clients as early as November 21, when the new round of American sanctions is due to take effect.

A spokesperson for Germany’s Ministry of Economy confirmed that talks with U.S. agencies are ongoing and that both sides aim to resolve legal and operational questions as soon as possible, but declined to comment on the details. Rosneft Deutschland also refrained from making a statement.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz earlier said he expected an exception for the company, emphasizing the need for transatlantic coordination to prevent disruption to Europe’s energy infrastructure.

As The Gaze previously informed, the U.S. has imposed a new round of major sanctions targeting Russia’s energy giants Rosneft and Lukoil, in response to Moscow’s continued reluctance to engage seriously in peace efforts to end the Russian-Ukrainian war.