The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has urged Ukraine to refrain from attacks on non-Russian vessels in the Black Sea after an appeal from the leadership of the American oil company Chevron, which expressed concern about risks to its assets in Kazakhstan. This is reported by UNN citing The Wall Street Journal.
Details
According to the publication, Chevron CEO Mike Wirth held talks this week with U.S. administration officials regarding the situation in the Black Sea. The reason was a recent Ukrainian drone attack that damaged four tankers, including a vessel chartered by Chevron, near the port of Novorossiysk.
After consultations with oil industry representatives, the Trump administration warned Ukraine against strikes on non-Russian vessels in the Black Sea.
The administration views the Caspian Pipeline Consortium as a vital route for supplying energy resources from Kazakhstan to European markets, which serves as an alternative to Russian energy resources
As WSJ notes, Chevron owns 15% of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium and 50% of the largest oil field, Tengiz, in Kazakhstan. Due to restrictions on the operation of the terminal in Novorossiysk, Kazakhstan has already been forced to reduce oil production because of a lack of storage capacity.
The publication adds that Washington is interested in the uninterrupted supply of Kazakh oil to global markets, especially against the backdrop of the tense situation in the Middle East, which has caused a sharp rise in global oil prices. At the same time, WSJ sources suggest that due to the U.S. position, Ukraine may redirect its strikes to other Russian targets that will not cause similar political disputes.