Tripartite gas union of Russia, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan can be expanded to include other countries, the Director of the Department of Economic Cooperation of the Russian Foreign Ministry Dmitry Birichevsky.
“We do not rule out the possibility of expanding tripartite cooperation in the gas sector. We know that other states are also showing interest in it. We are open to such cooperation on the understanding that it should be mutually beneficial and constructive, taking into account the stances of all participants,” he said.
In November last year, Russia proposed to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan to create a "tripartite gas union" involving the transportation of Russian gas through the territories of these countries.
In January 2023, Gazprom and the Ministry of Energy of Uzbekistan signed a roadmap on cooperation in the gas industry. Tashkent clarified that the document implied the transit of Russian gas through the Central Asia-Center gas pipeline passing through the territories of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan after technical studies.
At the end of May, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin noted that the parameters of the gas union project were being worked out, and the volume of investments was being specified.
Gas pipelines of the Central Asia - Center transcontinental system pass through the territory of Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.
