By Timothy Gardner, Shariq Khan and Robert Harvey

WASHINGTON/NEW YORK/LONDON (Reuters) -The Trump administration on Friday gave clearance to potential buyers to talk to Russia’s Lukoil about buying its foreign assets and allowed business dealings with Lukoil’s Burgas refinery after Bulgaria moved to seize the plant.

The U.S. last month imposed sanctions on Russia’s two biggest oil companies, Lukoil and Rosneft, for their help in financing Russia’s nearly four-year war in Ukraine. Lukoil has faced growing disruptions to its foreign assets, which account for about 0.5% of global oil production, since the sanctions were imposed.

The Treasury Department on Friday issued a set of licenses, one of which authorized companies to talk to Lukoil through December 13 about buying its foreign assets

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