Kazakhstan to Cease Oil Transit to Germany via Druzhba Pipeline from May 1

BERLIN, April 22. /TASS/. The German Federal Network Agency has been informed about the cessation of Kazakh oil transit via the Druzhba pipeline to Germany, effective May 1, Fiete Wulff, a representative of the German regulator, told TASS. "Rosneft Deutschland has informed the Federal Network Agency, as its authorized agency, that, in accordance with the instructions of the Russian Energy Ministry, transit of Kazakh oil via the Druzhba pipeline to the PCK refinery [in Schwedt] through Russian territory will no longer be possible starting May 1, 2026," he said. The agency assumes that the cessation of Kazakh oil supplies "will not jeopardize the security of oil product supplies in Germany, even if the PCK refinery in Schwedt has to reduce production capacity." Earlier Kazakh Energy Minister Yerlan Akkenzhenov told reporters that the country received unofficial information about the impossibility of transporting fuel via the Druzhba pipeline in May. According to him, the Russian side, citing unofficial sources, "stated the lack of technical capability to transport Kazakh oil." He added that during the planned supply suspension, Kazakhstan is redirecting crude flows to other destinations, including the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC). On April 21, at a briefing, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on reports that Russia could allegedly halt oil transit from Kazakhstan to Germany via the Druzhba pipeline starting May 1. He noted that the relevant Russian companies should be contacted regarding this matter. Kazakhstan's national operator, Kaztransoil, ensures oil transit through Russia via the Transneft pipeline system. Kazakh oil is then pumped through Belarus via the pipeline system of JSC Gomeltransneft Druzhba to the Adamova Zastava oil delivery point for further delivery to an oil refinery in the German city of Schwedt. This transit is carried out under the relevant intergovernmental agreement between Kazakhstan and Russia dated June 7, 2002. In 2025, Kazakhstan delivered 2.1 million tons of oil to Germany via the Druzhba pipeline.