The American group Carlyle is evaluating the acquisition of Lukoil's international assets, affected by sanctions.

Carlyle, an American private equity group, is analyzing the possibility of acquiring Lukoil's international assets, according to Reuters sources. The company is considering submitting a license application to U.S. authorities to negotiate, but has not yet conducted due diligence and has not made a final decision. Lukoil recently announced that it intends to sell these assets, valued at approximately $22 billion, due to U.S. sanctions that have paralyzed operations.

Initial negotiations with Swiss trader Gunvor ended after it was labeled a 'Kremlin puppet.' The assets include oil and gas fields in Iraq, Central Asia, and Mexico, gas station networks, and refineries in Bulgaria and Romania, including the Petrotel refinery. Carlyle also already has exposure in Romania through Black Sea Oil & Gas. Sanctions have led to the suspension of deliveries from the oil fields, and authorities in Bulgaria have begun a process of nationalizing the Burgas refinery.