---
title: "Gazprom Saved: Kazakhstan Refuses to Enforce Ukraine's $1.4 Billion Claim"
description: "Kazakhstan has officially refused to enforce the court decision to collect $1.4 billion from Gazprom in favor of Naftogaz. The Minister of Justice explained that the process took place without the participation of the Russian side, making the verdict invalid for enforcement in the Republic of Kazakhstan. 🇰🇿🚫💸"
date: 2026-05-26T20:33:31.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/kazakhstan-refuses-to-enforce-1-4-billion-claim-against-gazprom
tags: []
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Gazprom Saved: Kazakhstan Refuses to Enforce Ukraine's $1.4 Billion Claim

![The flag of Kazakhstan waving against the backdrop of an old building, illustrating the country's refusal to enforce the court decision on Naftogaz's lawsuit](https://xab.info/media/2026/05/27/kazakhstan-otkazalsya-vzyskat-1-4-mlrd-s-gazproma/flag-kazahstana-na-fone-zdaniya.webp)

It seemed that Naftogaz's victory in arbitration was a closed case. The Swiss court confirmed the verdict, and it appeared that the $1.4 billion debt was already secured. However, geopolitics introduced its own corrections. Kazakhstan, which became a potential venue for enforcement, officially declared the impossibility of executing the court decision.

### Why Did Astana Close the Doors to the Ukrainian Lawsuit?

The situation developed rapidly. Previously, the court of the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC), operating under British law norms, approved the enforcement of the decision in favor of the Ukrainian company. This opened real prospects for seizing Gazprom's assets within the republic. However, Kazakhstan's Minister of Justice Erlan Sarsenbayev put a period to this matter in an interview with Zakon.kz.

Official Nur-Sultan refused to recognize the binding nature of the decision. The officials' argumentation is simple but harsh: the trial was conducted without the participation of the Russian side, meaning the decision is not considered final. Sarsenbayev emphasized that anyone has the right to file a lawsuit, but this does not guarantee the existence of jurisdiction for compulsory enforcement.

### History of the Conflict: From Transit to Billion-Dollar Lawsuits

The roots of the problem go back to the 2019 contract. After the suspension of Russian gas transit through the "Sokhranovka" station in 2022, Kyiv demanded compensation. In March 2026, Naftogaz achieved a final victory: the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland rejected all complaints from the monopolist, upholding the arbitration ruling from June 2025.

Now that Kazakhstan has refused to be an instrument of pressure, Ukraine will have to find other ways to realize its right to compensation. This step by Astana can be seen as an attempt to maintain neutrality and avoid entering a direct conflict with Moscow, despite the legal norms operating in the AIFC.