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Raiffeisen fails to sell stake in Russia as Moscow opposes the move, Reuters reports

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Raiffeisen fails to sell stake in Russia as Moscow opposes the move, Reuters reports
People walk past the branch of Raiffeisenbank on April 9, 2023, in Moscow, Russia. (Contributor/Getty Images)

Raiffeisen Bank International has failed in its latest attempt to sell its Russian arm to a local buyer, Reuters reported on Oct. 1, citing undisclosed sources.

Austria's Raiffeisen, the largest Western bank still operating in Russia, remains crucial for facilitating Russian gas sales to European countries.

The Austrian lender has not faced international sanctions, despite years of pressure from the West to sever its business dealings in Russia.

A Raiffeisen spokesperson told Reuters that the bank is seeking to reduce its business in Russia, adding that the sale requires approval from the Russian government.

Russian authorities fear that a Russian buyer taking over the stake would leave Raiffeisen vulnerable to U.S. sanctions, according to the news agency.

Raiffeisen has repeatedly attempted to sell its stake in Russia. In April, the Financial Times reported that the efforts were put on pause due to U.S. President Donald Trump's diplomatic outreach to Russia.

Since then, Trump has adopted an increasingly critical tone toward Moscow, which has repeatedly rejected ceasefire proposals while escalating attacks against Ukraine.

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Martin Fornusek

Senior News Editor

Martin Fornusek is a news editor at the Kyiv Independent. He has previously worked as a news content editor at the media company Newsmatics and is a contributor to Euromaidan Press. He was also volunteering as an editor and translator at the Czech-language version of Ukraïner. Martin studied at Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, holding a bachelor's degree in security studies and history and a master's degree in conflict and democracy studies.

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