Media: Vance asked Ukraine not to strike non-Russian tankers in Black Sea

Ukraine has halted its intensive campaign of drone strikes against oil tankers using the major Black Sea port of Novorossiysk after a request made by US Vice President JD Vance at the end of last month.

As reported by The Financial Times, Washington was concerned that Ukraine could further destabilise oil markets and harm US companies by striking tankers carrying oil transported by pipeline from Kazakhstan to the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) terminal at the Russian port of Novorossiysk.

Vance asked President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to halt the attacks during a phone call on 31 July.

Since then, Ukraine has not struck tankers near the CPC terminal.

The officials said Ukraine has agreed not to strike CPC infrastructure facilities or non-Russian vessels, provided that the vessels are not subject to Ukrainian sanctions and are not carrying Russian oil or other Russian cargo.

"We very carefully listen to our American partners," a senior Ukrainian official said, adding that Kyiv has put the relevant "mechanisms" in place in response to the US request. The CPC has been "a regular part of the conversation with the US and the Kazakh governments", the official said.

A US administration official confirmed that Washington had warned Ukraine to stop attacking non-Russian vessels in the Black Sea, as well as CPC infrastructure facilities.

"The administration views the CPC as a vital conduit of Kazakhstan-origin energy for European markets that serves as an alternative to Russian energy supplies," the official said.

The US had "reaffirmed" Kyiv's commitment to refrain from striking CPC infrastructure facilities and non-Russian vessels heading to the pipeline terminal in Novorossiysk, provided they were not subject to other Ukrainian sanctions, the official added.

A person familiar with Ukraine's position said Kyiv had agreed to the US President Donald Trump administration's request because it hopes to obtain a US licence to produce Patriot interceptor missiles. Kyiv also hopes to purchase several hundred of these missiles before winter, when Russia is expected to intensify its air attacks on critical infrastructure.

Bloomberg also reported that Ukraine has agreed not to strike certain non-Russian oil tankers and Black Sea infrastructure facilities

Trump said during the public part of his meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in early July that Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries were an escalation that could bring the war to an end.