Serbia in talks with US, Russia as oil sanctions deadline looms

BELGRADE (Reuters) -Serbia is in last minute talks with the United States and Russia ahead of a Thursday deadline to avoid U.S. sanctions on oil company NIS that could result in crude supply cuts, Energy Minister Dubravka Djedovic Handanovic said on Wednesday. Russia's Gazprom Neft and Gazprom hold stakes of 50% and 6.15% respectively in NIS, which operates Serbia's sole oil refinery in Pancevo, just outside the capital Belgrade.