Russia Moves to Turn Off the Tap on Kazakh Oil to Germany
Russia is reportedly planning to stop Kazakh oil supplies to Germany through the Druzhba pipeline from 1 May, according to industry sources. Moscow has already sent updated export plans to both Kazakhstan and Germany.
The move comes against a backdrop of long-strained relations between Russia and Germany, which have deteriorated further since the start of the war in Ukraine and the subsequent imposition of sanctions.
Germany took control of local subsidiaries of Russian energy giant Rosneft in 2022, severely disrupting energy cooperation with Moscow. It has since sought to diversify its oil supplies, sourcing part of its crude from Kazakhstan via Russian territory.
Those supplies have been unreliable, repeatedly disrupted by drone strikes on infrastructure, though export volumes increased significantly in 2025.
Germany's PCK refinery in Schwedt, one of the country's largest, could be particularly affected by any halt in oil flows along this route.