Russia's Gas Floods Central Asia Amid Domestic Demand Surge
Kazakhstan is set to increase its natural gas imports from Russia in response to growing domestic demand. The country has agreed to purchase around 11 billion cubic meters (bcm) of Russian gas this year, up from about 4 bcm in 2025, under a supplementary agreement with Gazprom.
The two sides are still negotiating the terms of the deal, including the price, but reports suggest it may be a low-cost arrangement for Kazakhstan. The country has traditionally been a net exporter of natural gas, but domestic production has surged to record levels in recent years.
Uzbekistan is also turning to Russian gas imports as its own domestic production declines rapidly. The country exported around $629 million worth of gas in 2025 and imported $1.66 billion worth of Russian gas at a significantly higher price.
The new US sanctions bill, set to be signed by President Trump, could disrupt Kazakhstan's and Uzbekistan's plans to import Russian gas, however. The bill allows for punitive tariffs on nations that purchase Russian energy, which could expose entities in the two Central Asian states to secondary sanctions.