Russia expects Serbia to fulfill its obligations under the NIS joint venture

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Moscow expects Serbia to fulfill its obligations under the NIS (Naftna Industrija Srbije) joint oil company and has an understanding of possible joint steps in energy cooperation. He said this on December 19 during the "Results of the Year", which are summed up in a direct line format combined with a press conference.

"We have an intergovernmental agreement with Serbia on the adoption of any restrictions regarding this commercial structure. And, of course, we proceed from the fact that Serbia's friendly leadership will keep this in mind and will fulfill its commitment," Putin said.

The Russian President noted that the situation around Gazpromneft is not easy. According to him, despite external efforts to improve relations, the sanctions pressure, which is part of the policy from a position of strength, continues. This also applies to Gazpromneft, which owns NIS, in which significant funds have been invested — more than $3 billion. Putin stressed that the company has turned into a modern, efficient production facility and is the main taxpayer to the Serbian budget.

The President stressed that there are mechanisms and directions for joint movement with Serbian partners and expressed hope for reaching the necessary solution.

"Such a dialogue is going on with our friends in Serbia, we hope that we will find the right solution," Putin said.

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A direct line with the president in 2025 is combined with a press conference for the media. The format called "Results of the Year with Vladimir Putin" allows the head of state to convey his position not only on citizens' issues, but also on the state and global agenda, which is often asked by journalists.

The direct line has been running since 2001. The event is being held for the fourth time in a combined format with a large press conference.

The latest news about the "Results of the year with Vladimir Putin – 2025" is in the Izvestia story.

All important news is on the Izvestia channel in the MAX messenger.