# Lukoil refinery crisis shows Europe’s cost of severing ties with Russia, expert says

https://mins.news/en/item/59726

- TASS, 2026-09-15 17:57 UTC
- Economy
- Original: https://tass.com/economy/2188065

> Romanian authorities are likely to seek a legal route to restart the Lukoil-owned Petrotel refinery without violating current US sanctions, political scientist Ilya Grashchenkov told TASS. The prolonged shutdown has become a domestic political challenge, with trade unions warning that about 460 companies could go bankrupt. The crisis threatens the wider industrial chain and leaves Bucharest balancing sanctions compliance against jobs, fuel prices and stability.