US Warns Ukraine Against Attacks on Third-Country Tankers at Chevron's Request
The US administration has warned Ukraine against attacking tankers not owned by Russia, following a request from Chevron’s CEO. A Chevron-chartered tanker was damaged in a recent strike, limiting oil production in Kazakhstan.
The US administration has cautioned Ukraine against attacking tankers that do not belong to Russia, according to sources cited by The Wall Street Journal. The warning came after Chevron CEO Mike Wirth asked the Trump administration to intervene, following a Ukrainian strike that damaged a tanker chartered by the company.
The strikes targeted the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) facilities in Russia, including the port of Novorossiysk. The CPC pipeline is a key route for Kazakh oil exports to Europe, and the attack on July 19 has limited crude oil loading at the terminal, reducing production at Kazakh fields where Chevron holds stakes.
The US administration told Ukraine that it views the CPC as a critical alternative to Russian energy supplies and considers attacks on its infrastructure unacceptable. The pipeline itself and the oil fields remain undamaged, but prolonged production cuts would threaten Chevron’s revenues.
Ukraine has previously struck CPC facilities, prompting strong reactions from Kazakhstan. Kyiv insists the attacks target Russian territory and are not aimed at Kazakhstan. WSJ suggests that Washington’s displeasure may force Ukraine to shift to less politically sensitive targets. Ukraine has not commented on the report.
