Russia is discussing a possible gas union with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan to support supplies between the three countries and other energy buyers, including China, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Oleksandr Novak said on Tuesday, Russian news agency Interfax reported, Reuters and Agerpres reported.

Novak did not give details about what such a union would entail in the gas sector, as well as about the state of negotiations.

Kazakhstan’s presidential spokesman Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said on Tuesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed the idea at a meeting between the two leaders on Monday, without giving details.

Although Russia is a major exporter of natural gas, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan produce about as much gas as they consume. The two countries are connected by a gas pipeline to Russia, and a separate pipeline crosses both countries to China.

However, both pipelines primarily transport gas from Turkmenistan, while Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have never reported transiting Russian gas to China or other countries.

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