German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he’s optimistic that the US will exempt Rosneft PJSC’s German unit from Washington’s latest sanctions against Russia.

Trump “is seriously breaking the ice with these measures,” former Russian deputy energy minister Vladimir Milov told Newsweek.

Days after canceling a planned summit with Putin, citing a lack of progress toward ending the war in Ukraine, Trump took a major step by effectively blacklisting Rosneft and Lukoil.

Germany is seeking an exemption from U.S. sanctions on Russian oil company Rosneft's German business, a person with direct knowledge of the government discussions said on Thursday, after banks said sanctions could stop them dealing with the local energy supplier.