--- title: "Kazakhstan Ready to Restart Oil Transit via Druzhba: Astana Sends Personal Request to Moscow" description: "Kazakhstan, at the vice-ministerial level, announced full technical readiness to resume oil transit via Druzhba and sent a personal request to Moscow. The decision now rests with the Russian side, which suspended supplies in May 2026." date: 2026-11-04T21:18:56.822Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/kazakhstan-druzhba-oil-transit-2026 tags: [kazakhstan, oil, druzhba-pipeline, energy, russia, transit, export] author: "Andrey Kosynko" publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Kazakhstan Ready to Restart Oil Transit via Druzhba: Astana Sends Personal Request to Moscow ![Industrial node of a trunk oil pipeline with blue valves and pipes outdoors](https://xab.info/media/2026/11/04/kazakhstan-druzhba-neft-transit-2026/kazakhstan-druzhba-neft-transit-2026-1.webp) ## Key Points - Kazakhstan's Vice Minister of Energy Yerlan Akkenzhenov stated on November 4 that the republic is fully technically ready to resume oil transit via Druzhba. - An official request to Russia was handed over personally in a tete-a-tete format; Astana is awaiting an official response. - In 2025, Kazakhstan supplied 2.1 million tons of oil to Germany via Druzhba; the volume was planned to reach nearly 3 million tons in 2026. - Since May 2026, the Russian side has suspended the transit of Kazakh raw materials through the Druzhba pipeline. On November 4, at a press conference, Kazakhstan's Vice Minister of Energy Yerlan Akkenzhenov stated that the republic is fully prepared to resume oil transit to Europe via the Druzhba trunk oil pipeline. According to him, Astana has already sent an official request to the Russian side to restart the transportation system, and the technical base for redirecting flows is in working condition. Thus, the key decision, as the official emphasized, now depends entirely on Moscow's position. ### Diplomatic Channel: Request Handed Over Personally Akkenzhenov stressed that the appeal to the Russian side was transmitted not through routine correspondence, but in the format of personal negotiations: "I personally handed over the official request to the Russian side in a tete-a-tete format. Currently, the Kazakh side is awaiting an official response from our partners regarding the resumption of transit." The minister also noted that the process is under constant diplomatic control, indicating the high priority of the issue for Astana. ### Technical Readiness of Infrastructure Among the key arguments cited by the vice minister is the full technical readiness of Kazakhstan's infrastructure. According to him, the pipeline system, pumping stations, and accompanying equipment possess all the necessary capabilities to redirect oil flows in a westward direction. This means that no additional investments or technical modifications are required from Kazakhstan to restore transit—the political decision of the Russian side is sufficient. ### Figures: From 2.1 Million Tons in 2025 to Plans for 3 Million in 2026 The scale of the issue is clearly demonstrated by supply volumes. During 2025, Kazakhstan sent a total of 2.1 million tons of oil to Germany via the Druzhba system. For 2026, the republic planned to significantly increase this figure to nearly 3 million tons. However, since May of this year, the Russian side has suspended the transit of Kazakh raw materials through the pipeline, effectively depriving Astana of one of its main channels of access to European markets. ### Why Druzhba is Critical for Kazakh Exports The Druzhba pipeline remains one of the cheapest and logistically most efficient corridors for exporting hydrocarbons in a westward direction. For Kazakhstan, which possesses large oil reserves and strives to diversify export routes, maintaining access to this route is of strategic importance. Restoring transit will stabilize revenues from the oil sector and reduce dependence on alternative, often more expensive logistical schemes. ### What's Next: Awaiting Moscow's Response Currently, the Kazakh side is in a holding pattern, awaiting an official response from Russian partners. Neither side has yet disclosed details of possible conditions for resuming transit, and the timeframe for considering the request has not been announced. Nevertheless, the very fact of the personal nature of the appeal and the public statement at the vice-ministerial level indicates that the issue of restoring Druzhba is a priority on Astana's energy diplomacy agenda for 2026. ## Fact-Check & Sources - [Казахстан намерен возобновить экспорт нефти через «Дружбу»: направлен запрос в Москву – Zamin.uz, 04.11.2026](https://zamin.uz/ru/mir/226383-kazakhstan-nameren-vozobnovit-eksport-nefti-cherez-druzhbu-napravlen-zapros-v-moskvu.html) - The primary source contains direct quotes from Vice Minister Akkenzhenov, supply volume figures for 2025 and plans for 2026, as well as the date of transit suspension (May 2026). All data in the article is taken from this source. ## FAQ ### When does Kazakhstan intend to resume transit via Druzhba? Astana has not specified exact dates. Vice Minister Akkenzhenov stated that the request was handed over personally and the Kazakh side is awaiting an official response from Russia. Technical readiness, according to him, is already ensured. ### How much oil did Kazakhstan plan to send to Europe in 2026? For 2026, the republic planned to increase export volume via Druzhba to nearly 3 million tons, whereas 2.1 million tons were supplied in 2025. ### Why was transit suspended? According to the vice minister's statement, since May 2026, the Russian side has suspended the transit of Kazakh raw materials via the Druzhba system. The reasons for the suspension are not disclosed in the text of the statement.