Key facts
- Ukraine has paused drone strikes on oil tankers using Russia's Black Sea port of Novorossiysk.
- The pause followed a request from U.S. Vice President JD Vance.
- The U.S. administration warned Ukraine to stop attacking non-Russian vessels.
- Ukraine agreed to avoid targeting Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) infrastructure or non-Russian vessels not carrying Russian oil.
- The strikes had impacted oil loadings and Kazakhstan's production.
Ukraine has paused drone strikes targeting oil tankers utilizing Russia's Black Sea port of Novorossiysk, following a request from U.S. Vice President JD Vance, according to a Financial Times report citing Ukrainian officials. The U.S. administration had expressed concerns that Ukraine's attacks were destabilizing oil markets and potentially harming American firms by targeting tankers associated with the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC).
As part of the agreement, Ukraine will refrain from targeting CPC infrastructure and non-Russian vessels, provided they are not under Ukrainian sanctions and are not transporting Russian oil or cargo. The strikes in July had significantly impacted CPC oil loadings, reducing them by as much as a fifth, and affected Kazakhstan's oil production, which dropped 14% in July compared to June. Major Western oil companies, including Chevron and Exxon Mobil, are involved in the CPC operations.
Ukrainian forces have recently intensified attacks on Russian energy infrastructure and other sites, aiming to cut off resources funding Russia's military operations. The White House, State Department, and Vance's office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.