Swiss trader Gunvor has officially confirmed that it is refusing to buy Lukoil's international assets. The unexpected decision came after US President Donald Trump's team called the company a "puppet of Russia."
Points of attention
- The fallout between Gunvor and Lukoil sheds light on the complexities of maintaining business relationships amid political upheavals and the scrutiny faced by companies perceived to have ties with sanctioned entities.
- This incident emphasizes the significant role of governments and regulatory bodies, such as the US Treasury Department, in shaping global trade dynamics and influencing corporate decisions in sensitive geopolitical contexts.
Gunvor trader created new problems for Putin
In fact, he came under pressure from the US Treasury Department.
The American department issued an official statement, emphasizing that President Donald Trump "has made it clear that the (Russian-Ukrainian, - ed.) war must end immediately."
As long as Russian President Vladimir Putin continues his senseless killings, the Kremlin puppet company Gunvor will never receive a license to operate and make a profit, the US Treasury Department said in a statement.
Gunvor's corporate affairs director Seth Pietras responded to these allegations.
According to him, this statement by Donald Trump's team is "fundamentally false and misleading."
However, despite this, the Swiss company welcomes "the opportunity to correct this apparent misunderstanding."
Against the backdrop of the latter, Gunvor decided to abandon the purchase of Lukoil's international assets.
Journalists draw attention to the fact that the US Treasury Department issues permits for transactions related to organizations under sanctions.
De facto, this means that without such permission, the trader could potentially fall under secondary US sanctions.
