Kazakhstan Turns to Russia for Gas Amid Surging Domestic Demand

Kazakhstan has signed a supplementary agreement with Gazprom to increase natural gas imports from Russia. The deal will see Kazakhstan purchase about 11 billion cubic meters (bcm) of Russian gas this year, up from 4 million bcm in 2025, and as much as 9 bcm in 2027.

The move is seen as a way for Kazakhstan to meet growing domestic demand while not losing revenue generated by the country's exports. Historically, Kazakhstan has been a net natural gas exporter, with domestic production reaching a record level of 68.1 bcm in 2025.

However, the purchase price may be subject to change due to pending new US sanctions on Russia. The sanctions bill passed by the US Congress could disrupt Kazakh and Uzbek gas import plans, potentially exposing entities in the two Central Asian states to secondary sanctions.