Russia reportedly plans to halt Kazakh oil transit to Germany

Three industry sources told Reuters that Russia intends to halt oil exports from Kazakhstan to Germany via the Druzhba pipeline starting May 1. An adjusted export schedule has reportedly been sent to both Kazakhstan and Germany, though official confirmation is pending. Kazakhstan exported approximately 2.146 million metric tons of oil, or 43,000 barrels per day, to Germany in 2025, representing a 44% increase over 2024. These supplies are critical for the PCK refinery in Schwedt, which has relied on Kazakh crude since direct Russian oil imports were halted in 2022. A complete disruption would impact about 17% of the refinery's annual capacity, potentially threatening fuel supplies for the Berlin and Brandenburg regions. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated he was unaware of such a decision and promised to verify the information. The Russian Energy Ministry has not provided an immediate comment. Relations between Moscow and Berlin have been severely strained since the 2022 Ukraine conflict, during which Germany placed Rosneft’s local assets under trusteeship. The Druzhba pipeline has previously faced disruptions due to the ongoing geopolitical conflict.