Berlin is scrambling to shield one of its most critical energy facilities from new U.S. sanctions targeting Russia’s oil giant Rosneft. The measures, signed by President Donald Trump, could have significant repercussions for Germany’s fuel supply, particularly in the country’s northeast.
At the centre of concern is the PCK refinery in Schwedt, Brandenburg, which provides petrol, heating oil, and jet fuel to large parts of the region, including Berlin and its main airport, BER.
The refinery, 54% owned by Rosneft’s German subsidiaries, falls within the scope of the sanctions, which require companies to sever ties by November 21 with any firm that is more than half Russian-owned.
According to The Wall Street Journal correspondent Bojan Pancevski, the German government is actively seeking a waiver from Washington, having already secured an exemption from British sanctions. “The effects are already being felt—and they are immense,” he told daily Bild.
The Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy is reportedly leading the negotiations with U.S. officials. German authorities stress that since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Rosneft Deutschland has been under trusteeship, ensuring no profits flow to Moscow.
Brandenburg’s CDU leader Jan Redmann described Schwedt as “the industrial heart of northeast Brandenburg,” warning that closure would be “a catastrophic blow” to the region’s economy.
If Washington refuses Berlin’s request, the refinery may have to scale back operations, potentially disrupting fuel supplies across eastern Germany and Berlin’s airport. Similar concerns surround the Rosneft-linked refineries at Oberrhein and BayernOil.
