A pair of German companies, hurt financially by their investments in Russia, have submitted compensation requests to the German government. The news agency cited the DPA as the source for this development.
Wintershall Dea, the oil and gas producer that used to operate as a BASF subsidiary, had already filed a similar request with Berlin, according to the same reporting. The move underscores ongoing sensitivities around assets tied to Russia and the risks of sanction-driven disruptions for energy players in Europe.
Now, entities tied to prominent German brands—railway technology developer Siemens Mobility and Volkswagen Bank—have joined the appeals, seeking financial relief from state-backed guarantees. The pattern suggests a broader strategy among large German groups to recoup losses associated with voluntary or mandated sanctions and the restructuring of operations linked to Russia.
A Siemens Mobility spokesperson confirmed that the company secured its Russia-related investments by leveraging the country’s investment guarantee instrument, a program intended to shield investors against certain political and regulatory risks. The firm is engaging with the federal government while also working with the auditing firm PwC, which has been commissioned to implement and oversee the investment guarantees.
Separately, discussions around energy costs and market access remain a backdrop to these compensation moves. In recent times Germany faced challenges in reducing gas costs despite a substantial drop in imports, a development that has been noted by policymakers and industry observers alike.
Within the European Union, there has also been attention paid to the status of Russian assets frozen as part of sanctions regimes. The exact figures and allocations have been a matter of ongoing reporting, analysis, and official statements in Brussels and member states, reflecting the EU’s approach to asset freezes and related enforcement measures.
These compensation requests come amid a broader debate in Germany about how the state can balance economic support for domestic firms with the obligations and risks inherent in international sanctions regimes. Stakeholders are watching closely how the government and its advisers, including independent auditors, will assess claims tied to Russia-focused investments and the contingencies attached to investment guarantees. The discussions signal a continuing tension between sustaining business activity and adhering to sanctions-driven policy goals, with outcomes that could shape corporate risk management and government-facing guarantees in the months ahead. [Source attribution: DPA]