Kazakhstan's Oil Supply to Germany Halted, Testing Europe's Energy Resilience

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com — Germany’s energy resilience is being tested once again after Russia halted the flow of Kazakh oil to Germany through the Druzhba pipeline network starting 1 May 2026. This disruption has raised new concerns about Europe’s energy supply security, particularly as Germany has relied on Kazakh oil for several years to reduce its dependence on Russian energy. The Kazakh government confirmed that shipments of oil via the Atyrau-Samara route to the PCK Schwedt refinery in Germany have practically dropped to zero for May 2026. “Based on the information we have at present, the May schedule is practically zero,” said Akkenzhenov, quoted from The Astana Times, Thursday (23/4/2026). This halt comes amid rising uncertainty in the global energy market due to geopolitical tensions and oil supply chain disruptions. For Germany, the impact is significant because Kazakh supplies via Druzhba have been a backbone for the PCK Schwedt refinery, which meets much of the fuel needs of Berlin and the Brandenburg region. Since halting Russian oil imports, Berlin has sought alternative sources, one of which is Kazakh oil transported via Druzhba. Citing Reuters, in 2025, Kazakhstan sent 2.146 million metric tons of oil to Germany through this route, a 44 percent increase from the previous year. In the first quarter of 2026, supplies reached 730,000 tons. That volume equates to about 17 percent of the PCK Schwedt refinery’s needs. The German Ministry of Economic Affairs stated that Russia has informed them that the halt was carried out based on a decision by the Russian Ministry of Energy. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak described the decision as related to possible technical issues. Novak also said the supply diversion was carried out after coordination with Kazakhstan.