Kazakhstan is technically equipped to increase the transit of Russian gas to Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan’s Energy Minister, Yerlan Akkenzhenov, told reporters, according to Kapital.kz.
According to the minister, Kazakhstan has already put the necessary infrastructure in place.
"We have the capacity. Everything depends on the transport infrastructure, and on our side—the Kazakh side—everything is ready. As far as I know, the Russian Federation is currently conducting independent negotiations with Uzbekistan. As a transit country, we are ready to facilitate this," the minister said.
Akkenzhenov noted that Russian gas is already transiting through Kazakhstan to other countries in the region. He stated that Uzbekistan currently receives "upward of 4 billion cubic meters of gas," while Kyrgyzstan receives around 500 million cubic meters. "That much I remember for certain," he added.
The Kazakh Energy Minister also shared that a substantial increase in Russian gas supplies to Uzbekistan is currently under discussion. However, he emphasized that he lacks official confirmation of these plans, as the talks are being held directly between Moscow and Tashkent.
"As far as I know, there is talk of increasing the volume up to 11 billion cubic meters of gas, which is a very significant amount. That is simply what I have heard. I do not have confirmed information since the negotiations are being handled by the Uzbek and Russian sides," Akkenzhenov stated.
On the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak announced ongoing negotiations with Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan to expand infrastructure to increase gas supplies.
"We are currently holding talks, discussions, and implementing projects with our partners from Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan to expand and reconstruct the infrastructure originally built during the Soviet era, aiming to enable additional supply volumes to both countries," TASS quoted him as saying.
During SPIEF 2026, Uzbekistan's Deputy Prime Minister, Jamshid Khodjaev, held meetings with both Alexander Novak and Gazprom Management Committee Chairman, Alexey Miller.
The parties discussed the supply of crude oil and petroleum products—including motor gasoline, jet fuel, and refinery feedstock—alongside broader cooperation in the gas sector. Special attention was also given to the construction project of the first power unit of an integrated nuclear power plant.
The supply of Russian gas to Uzbekistan through Kazakhstan began in October 2023 via the Central Asia–Center pipeline system operating in reverse mode. The initial contract provided for imports of up to 2.8 billion cubic meters of gas per year.
According to the National Statistics Committee, gas imports from Russia and Turkmenistan decreased by 1.2% in value terms in 2025, totaling $1.65 billion.
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