Kazakhstan ready to increase oil supplies to Germany via Druzhba pipeline - Tokayev

ASTANA. Sept 28 (Interfax) - Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said he is ready to increase oil supplies via the Druzhba pipeline.

"Our priorities include further development of cooperation in the energy sphere. As you know, Kazakhstan has sent Germany 500,000 tonnes of oil via the Druzhba trunk pipeline since the start of this year. At the request of [our] German friends, I have confirmed our country's readiness to increase the volumes of oil supplied and to make them long-term," Tokayev was quoted by media as saying at a press conference following talks with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

The Kazakh president arrived in Germany for an official visit on Thursday. He is holding talks with the German authorities, and will attend a meeting between the heads of the Central Asian states and Germany.

According to earlier reports, a contract for Kazakh oil transit through Russian territory in 2024 and an updated memorandum of cooperation between Transneft and KazTransOil was signed during the Transneft president's visit to Kazakhstan on September 27.

Kazakh oil is transported via the Transneft system from the oil delivery point Adamova Zastava for subsequent supply to Germany, as Europe is trying to reduce its dependence on Russian oil.

The annual transit of Kazakh oil through Russia was previously some 15 million tonnes. In February 2023, Kazakhstan began supplying oil to Germany via the Druzhba pipeline. The plans for this year envisage supplying at least 890,000 tonnes of oil. In 2024, Kazakhstan plans to send Germany 1.2 million tonnes via the Druzhba pipeline.