Lukoil gas stations “can operate legally” until April 2026. The head of the MFA explains the implications of the decision taken by the US on Thursday
Oana Țoiu, during a press conference on October 14. Credit: Daniel MIHAILESCU / AFP / Profimedia
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Oana Țoiu, announced that one of the “main consequences” of the decision taken by the US government on Thursday is that Lukoil gas stations “can operate legally, pay salaries and purchase stocks until April 2026”.
The head of Romanian diplomacy explained, on Thursday evening, in a post on the X platform, that the US decision “provides the necessary time to protect jobs and energy security and maintains the prohibitions on transfers to Russia”.
“In recent weeks, we have coordinated closely with OFAC regarding the possible scenarios in Romania, together with the relevant ministries, and the Romanian Government has taken the necessary measures and now has the tools to be able to supervise the company's activity”, added Oana Țoiu.
She said she knows that “there are many employees and their families who need clarity until the sale, who are wondering whether they will be able to receive their wages from their employer this Christmas or not.”
According to the minister, the “main consequences of the US decision” on Thursday are as follows:
- Gas stations can legally operate, pay wages and purchase inventory until April 2026;
- The sale or liquidation of operations to other operators is explicitly allowed;
- The transfer of any funds or profits to Russia is prohibited, and this will not be something that just depends on their word, it is something that we are directly monitoring.
Today's US 🇺🇸 (OFAC) decision, the 128B License on Lukoil, provides the necessary time to protect jobs and energy security and maintains prohibitions on transfers to Russia.
In recent weeks we have been coordinating closely with OFAC on scenarios…
— Toiu Oana (@oana_toiu) December 4, 2025
Washington partially lifted sanctions targeting Lukoil
The statements made by Oana Țoiu come in the context in which, on Thursday, the US government announced that it is suspending part of the sanctions imposed on the Russian oil giant Lukoil, to allow the company's gas stations located outside Russia to continue to operate, notes AFP.
The US Treasury explained that transactions involving these gas stations were authorized “to avoid penalizing” their customers and suppliers, provided the proceeds were not transferred to Russia.
The exemption is valid until April 29, 2026.
