BP chief says firm’s Russia business unaffected by sanctions on Rosneft CEO

ST PETERSBURG, Russia (Reuters) – Sanctions imposed on the chief executive of Rosneft (ROSN.MM ) over the Ukraine crisis have not impacted BP’s (BP.L ) business with the Russian oil producer, Interfax news agency quoted BP chief executive Bob Dudley as saying on Saturday.

Reiterating that BP stands by its Russian investments, Dudley said the sanctions related to Rosneft CEO Igor Sechin’s private matters.

“I am able to meet with him to solve issues related to the Rosneft oil company,” Dudley was quoted as saying in a Russian-language report by Interfax. But he added: “It does not affect our cooperation with the company itself.”

BP holds a 19.75 percent stake in Rosneft.

(Reporting by Lidia Kelly, Editing by Timothy Heritage)