Kazakhstan plans to temporarily abolish customs duties on fuel imports from third countries, primarily China, to strengthen domestic fuel supplies as Russia grapples with shortages.
Deputy Minister of Trade and Integration Zhanel Kushukova said the measure would suspend import duties on gasoline, diesel, and aviation fuel for one year.
According to Kushukova, the decision is being taken in response to fuel shortages in Russia, which remains Kazakhstan's main fuel supplier.
"Given the current situation, we are making a decision within the Eurasian Economic Union to reduce import duties. The goal is to stimulate fuel imports from third countries, primarily China," she told reporters at parliament.
At the same time, Kazakhstan continues to ban rail exports of certain petroleum products and light distillates. Last week, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov instructed authorities to tighten border controls to prevent domestic fuel shortages.
Russia has also approached Kazakhstan to discuss importing around 50,000 tonnes of AI-92 gasoline to help ease shortages in its domestic market.
Several major Russian oil refineries have suspended operations due to Ukrainian drone attacks and unplanned maintenance. As of late June, gasoline production in Russia had fallen by nearly 25% compared with the same period in 2025.
Kazakhstan is pursuing broader efforts to strengthen its energy independence and reduce reliance on Russian energy supplies. Recently, it was reported that the government plans to stop importing electricity from Russia by 2027 through the commissioning of new thermal and nuclear power plants, expanding domestic generation capacity, and modernizing energy infrastructure
