Romania and Bulgaria Extend Lukoil Asset Usage Following US Waiver (balkaninsight.com)

• US extends sanctions waiver for Lukoil assets until October 2026.
• Romania and Bulgaria prioritize operational continuity of energy infrastructure.
• Strategic tension between decoupling goals and immediate resource needs.

"The US has extended a waiver allowing Russian energy firm Lukoil to operate assets in Romania and Bulgaria until late October 2026. Both nations are moving to leverage this window to maintain critical energy supply levels. This development highlights the difficulty of fully decoupling from legacy Russian energy infrastructure in Southeast Europe while navigating complex US-led sanctions regimes."