Fresh energy crisis? Russia to halt oil flows to Germany via Druzhba pipeline amid West Asia conflicts

Russia is expected to halt oil shipments from ‌Kazakhstan to Germany through the Druzhba pipeline starting from May 1, according to three industry sources. Speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity, the sources confirmed that a revised export schedule has been shared with both countries.

The suspension of Kazakh supplies would add more uncertainty to Germany's energy outlook, as ​disruptions linked to the Iran war continue to impact shipments from the Middle East, only a few ⁠years after Berlin's long-standing energy relationship with Russia was shaken by the Ukraine war.

Kazakhstan exported about 2.146 million metric tons of oil to Germany via the Druzhba pipeline in 2025, around 43,000 barrels per day, marking a 44 per cent increase from 2024, with 730,000 tons delivered in the first quarter of 2026.

Full blockage would omit nearly 17 per cent of the up to 12 million metric tons of oil processed by Germany's ​PCK refinery in a year. Situated in the northeastern town of Schwedt, it is marked as one of the country's largest hubs for fuel, from which ​powers 9 out of 10 cars in the Berlin and Brandenburg region.

Ukraine conflict prompts strain in ties between Russia & Germany

The energy ministry of Russia did not immediately respond to ‌a ⁠request for comment. Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that he was not aware of a decision to stop the oil exports. "We will try to check it," Peskov told reporters on a daily conference call. Additionally, Kazakhstan's energy ministry and the German government did not immediately react to requests for comment.

Political and economic ties between Russia and Germany have been strained by the Ukraine conflict. Russian oil deliveries were halted after the war began, and in 2022, Berlin placed the German subsidiaries of Rosneft under trusteeship.

Since 2023, Kazakhstan has been supplying oil to the PCK refinery through the northern branch of the Druzhba pipeline via Poland, though shipments have been repeatedly disrupted by Ukrainian drone strikes on the Russian section. A spokesperson for Poland’s pipeline operator PERN told Reuters that the firm is prepared to transport oil for non-Russian stakeholders of PCK through the port of Gdansk if required. The Schwedt refinery is partly owned by Rosneft, Shell, and Eni.