Ukraine stopped attacks on tankers using Novorossiysk port at Vance's request

Washington was concerned that Ukraine was "further destabilizing oil markets and hurting U.S. companies" by attacking tankers carrying oil from Kazakhstan to the Caspian Pipeline Consortium terminal at the port.

According to sources, Ukraine agreed not to attack CPC infrastructure or non-Russian vessels, provided the ships are not under Ukrainian sanctions and are not carrying Russian oil or cargo. Drone attacks in the Black Sea caused the CPC to lose a fifth of its oil export volumes in July as the Russia-Ukraine war "spilled over and hurt sales by Kazakhstan and Western oil giants," the newspaper reported.

Kazakhstan, which relies on the Caspian Pipeline Consortium route for its oil exports, cut production by 14% in July from June, sources said. Chevron and Exxon Mobil are among the largest Western oil companies operating in the country. A U.S. official confirmed to the newspaper that the administration had warned Ukraine to stop attacking non-Russian vessels in the Black Sea.

On July 25, The Wall Street Journal reported that the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump had warned Ukraine against attacking non-Russian vessels in the Black Sea. According to the newspaper, Chevron CEO Mike Wirth discussed protecting the U.S. oil giant's operations in Kazakhstan with Trump administration officials after Ukrainian forces struck four tankers near Novorossiysk in the Black Sea.

Chevron owns a 15% stake in the Caspian Pipeline Consortium, which transports oil from three giant oil and gas fields across Kazakhstan to Russia and then to the Black Sea.

The Trump administration wants Chevron's oil to continue flowing because recent supply constraints from the Middle East have pushed global oil prices above $100 a barrel, the newspaper said.

Ukrainian forces struck more than 180 Russian vessels in the Black and Azov seas in July 2026. According to Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces, the vessels are part of Russia's shadow fleet and transport cargo in circumvention of international sanctions.

On July 19, 2026, Ukraine's Security Service reported a strike on the Russian shadow fleet tanker Avero near Novorossiysk in the Black Sea.