Kazakhstan will prioritise national interests over those of the OPEC+ group when deciding on oil production levels, the country's newly appointed energy minister told Reuters, ratcheting up the standoff with the group.

Kazakhstan’s newly appointed Energy Minister Yerlan Akkenzhenov, in comments made to Reuters on April 24, signalled that Kazakhstan may not adhere to the OPEC+ group’s agreed output restrictions, as the country is set on prioritising its own national interests over those of OPEC+ when deciding on oil output levels.

Kazakhstan is fulfilling its OPEC+ obligations and has an ongoing dialogue with the group to find “mutually acceptable solutions” to its oil production management, said Energy Minister Erlan Akkenzhenov.