Two House Republicans are urging the Trump administration to stop granting sanctions waivers to a Russian-owned oil refinery in Serbia, warning that continued relief undercuts U.S. pressure on Moscow and allows Belgrade to stall on severing its energy dependence on Russia.
In a letter sent Friday to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Reps. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) and Keith Self (R-Texas) — both staunch Trump allies — asked the administration to reconsider extending any further temporary licenses for Serbia's Oil Industry of Serbia (NIS). The company, majority-owned by sanctioned Russian energy giants Gazprom Neft and Gazprom, supplies roughly 80 percent of Serbia's energy needs.
The lawmakers' intervention marks a rare public break with the president's foreign policy approach, coming as other Republicans have voiced concerns over Trump's handling of relations with Russia, Iran, and China. The letter was obtained exclusively by The Hill.
NIS was blacklisted in January 2025 under sanctions tied to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Since then, the U.S. has repeatedly issued temporary waivers to allow the company to keep operating. NIS applied for another extension ahead of the Sept. 30 deadline, when its current license expires.
Wilson and Self argue the waivers are letting NIS drag its feet on a planned sale of its Russian stake. In January, Hungary's MOL announced a deal to acquire Gazprom Neft's majority share in NIS, but negotiations have yet to conclude. The lawmakers said MOL has sought continued authorization from the Treasury despite "limited progress" on finalizing the purchase agreement.
"Negotiations over the final purchase agreement remain ongoing, and MOL has sought continued authorization from your department to continue to operate despite limited progress," the letter states.
The GOP duo also pointed to Serbia's continued political and economic ties with Moscow. Unlike most European nations, Serbia has not imposed sanctions on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine, a stance that has long drawn criticism from Western allies.
The pushback comes amid broader Republican unease over Trump's foreign policy. Several GOP lawmakers have criticized the president's invitation to Russian President Vladimir Putin to attend a major economic summit in Miami later this year, despite the ongoing war in Ukraine. Others have raised alarms over the seven-month conflict with Iran, which has disrupted global energy markets and pushed up fuel prices. And Trump's lavish hosting of Chinese President Xi Jinping has drawn rebukes from both parties.
Wilson and Self's letter adds to that chorus, signaling that even Trump's most loyal supporters are willing to challenge the administration when they see sanctions being weakened. The question now is whether Treasury will heed their call or continue granting waivers that keep NIS operating under Russian ownership.
