Russia is discussing a attainable “gas union” with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan to help shipments between the three international locations and to different vitality consumers, together with China, the Interfax information company quoted Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak as saying on Tuesday.

Novak offered no additional particulars of what the fuel union would entail or what stage the discussions have been at.

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Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s spokesman stated on Tuesday Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed such an thought in a gathering with Tokayev on Monday. He additionally offered no particulars.

While Russia is a significant pure fuel exporter, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan produce roughly as a lot as they eat. The two international locations are related by a fuel pipeline to Russia, and a separate pipeline crosses each on its technique to China.

However, each pipelines largely pump fuel from Turkmenistan, whereas Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have by no means reported any transit shipments of Russian fuel to China or every other international locations.