A spokesman for Germany's economy ministry told Bloomberg on Friday that Russia's state-owned oil giant Rosneft has launched a process seeking to divest its German assets, including a majority stake in a large refinery currently hosted by Germany.
In September 2022, a few months after the Russia-Ukraine crisis, Germany placed the local operations of Russia's Rosneft under trusteeship, handing over control of the Schwedt refinery to the country's energy market regulator. Germany** said at the time: "By escrow, the threat to energy security is addressed and an important cornerstone is laid for the protection and future of the Schwedt plant." ”
Schwedt is Germany's fourth-largest refinery and is 54% owned by Russia's state-owned oil giant Rosneft, whose ** comes from Russia's Druzhba pipeline. The Schwedt refinery** 90% of the fuel needs of Berlin, the capital of Germany.
The custody period for the Rosneft assets has been extended twice for a period of six months, with the current six-month custody period expiring on March 10, 2024. "Rosneft has now said it has begun the sales process and hopes to complete it during a further extended escrow period," a spokesman for the Russian economy ministry said in a statement published by Bloomberg. We will announce any decisions in a timely manner, including the possible extension of the escrow period. ”
Last month, German sources told Reuters that Germany was considering nationalizing Rosneft's German assets, including a stake in the Schwedt refinery. However, today's comments may suggest that nationalization is not a preferred option. According to a spokesman for the German Ministry of Economy, Germany's top objective in these matters is to ensure the continuous operation of energy**, especially the Schwedt refinery. (Compiled by Xiao Chen).
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