Europe Faces Energy Crisis as Druzhba Pipeline Halts Amid Iran Tensions Escalation

Moscow has announced it will suspend shipments of Kazakh oil to Germany through the Druzhba pipeline system starting May 1st, marking another significant escalation in the ongoing European energy crisis that has plagued the continent since early 2026.

The decision, confirmed by multiple sources including the German subsidiary of Russia’s state-owned oil company Rosneft, represents a critical blow to Germany’s energy security at a time when global oil markets remain severely disrupted by the continuing Middle East crisis and Strait of Hormuz closure.

According to reports from Al Jazeera and The Moscow Times, the German subsidiary of Rosneft informed German energy regulators that the Russian Energy Ministry had formally ordered the suspension of Kazakh oil transit through the Druzhba pipeline network.

The decision affects a crucial alternative supply route that has become increasingly vital as Germany seeks to diversify away from traditional Middle Eastern oil sources amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.

The Druzhba pipeline system, historically known as the “Friendship Pipeline,” has been a cornerstone of European energy infrastructure for decades, carrying millions of barrels of oil from Russia and Central Asian producers to refineries across Central and Eastern Europe.

“Moscow confirms it will suspend shipments of Kazakh oil to Germany from May 1st” — Russian Energy Ministry Statement

This latest disruption occurs against the backdrop of the most severe global energy crisis since the 1970s oil shocks. According to extensive analysis of the situation, oil prices have surged to historic levels, with Brent crude peaking at $119.50 and WTI reaching $108.15 – marking the first time prices have breached $100 per barrel since 2022.

Broader European Energy Context: The Druzhba pipeline has recently been at the center of multiple disruptions. Earlier in August 2025, Ukraine’s military struck the pipeline with drones in the Tambov region of Russia, disrupting oil supplies to Hungary and Slovakia and exposing new political rifts in Central Europe.

The bombing was attributed by Russian and Hungarian officials to Ukrainian drone forces, with Ukraine justifying the strike as part of its broader campaign against Russia following the latter’s invasion in 2022. The strike resulted in oil flows to Hungary and Slovakia being cut off, and also exposed political divides at the heart of Central Europe’s energy security, sparking a diplomatic fallout between Kyiv, Budapest and Bratislava.

Despite EU-wide efforts to reduce reliance on Russian energy – which analysts acknowledge is “no longer a big issue for Europe as a whole” – Hungary and Slovakia stand as outliers, locked into long-term contracts and dependent on the Druzhba line.

On April 22, 2026, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the unblocking of a €90 billion European Union loan to Kyiv was “the right signal under the current circumstances.” He added that Ukraine was fulfilling its obligations in relations with the European Union – even on such sensitive issues as the operation of the Druzhba oil pipeline.

He said it was important that the European support package “becomes operational swiftly.”