BELGRADE, Dec 24 (Reuters) - The U.S. has granted Serbian oil refiner NIS (NIIS.BEL) , opens new tab until March 24 to negotiate the sale of its Russian owner's stake, Serbia's state-owned RTS TV reported on Wednesday.

However, RTS said NIS had not obtained an operating licence that would allow it to buy and process crude oil.

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The U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control imposed sanctions on NIS in October, as part of broader measures against Russia's energy sector, after granting a series of waivers since January.

The sanctions have halted crude supplies via Croatia's JANAF (JANF.ZA) , opens new tab pipeline, shutting down production at the Pancevo refinery.

Russia's Gazprom has an 11.3% stake in NIS, while its sanctioned oil unit Gazprom Neft (SIBN.MM) , opens new tab holds 44.9%. The Serbian government has 29.9%, with the remainder held by small shareholders and employees.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Tuesday that Gazprom was in talks with Hungary's MOL (MOLB.BU) , opens new tab over a possible sale of its majority stake in NIS.

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/serbias-nis-gets-us-approval-negotiate-sale-russian-stake-2025-12-24/