Ukraine has stopped its intense drone campaign targeting oil tankers that use the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk after a request from US vice‑president JD Vance at the end of July.

The strikes, which had hit tankers carrying Kazakh crude to the CPC terminal, raised concerns that they were destabilising oil markets and harming US companies. Washington warned Kyiv that attacking non‑Russian vessels and CPC infrastructure could disrupt supplies to Europe and hurt Chevron and Exxon Mobil, both of which hold stakes in CPC and the Tengiz field.

A senior Ukrainian official said Kyiv “very carefully listens to our American partners” and has set up mechanisms to comply with the US request. Since the July 31 call, Ukraine has not struck any tankers near the CPC terminal. The reduced activity cut CPC loads to 1.3mn barrels a day, down more than 300,000 barrels from the previous month. The US views CPC as a vital conduit for Kazakhstan‑origin energy to European markets, and officials reaffirmed Kyiv’s commitment to avoid targeting CPC infrastructure or non‑Russian ships not under sanctions. These measures aim to keep the pipeline flowing and stabilize global diesel and petrol prices amid constrained Middle Eastern supplies.