What is the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC)?

CPC is an international consortium that operates a pipeline transporting Kazakh oil to the Russian terminal in Novorossiysk on the Black Sea, in which American companies Chevron and Exxon hold stakes.

Why did the U.S. ask Ukraine to stop the attacks?

Washington feared that attacks on CPC infrastructure would disrupt the global oil market and directly harm U.S. interests, including Chevron and Exxon's investments in Kazakhstan's export route.

Did Ukraine agree to the U.S. request?

According to sources from the Financial Times and Bloomberg, Ukraine agreed to halt attacks on that infrastructure, and since July 31, 2026, no new strikes on tankers near the CPC terminal have been recorded.

What concessions did Ukraine seek in return?

According to one source, Kyiv agreed to the request because it was seeking a U.S. license from the Trump administration to produce missiles for Patriot air defense systems.

World

Vance Asked Zelensky to Halt Strikes

S.V. · Prije 1h | 2 min

The Financial Times reveals that the U.S. Vice President requested in July a cessation of attacks on Caspian Pipeline Consortium terminals, and Ukraine has since suspended drone strikes on tankers in Novorossiysk.

Summary

JD Vance personally asked Zelensky on July 31, 2026, to halt attacks on CPC infrastructure.
Ukraine has not attacked tankers near the terminal in the Russian port of Novorossiysk since then.
The U.S. feared disruption to the global oil market and harm to Chevron and Exxon.
Bloomberg reports that Ukraine committed to not targeting that infrastructure as long as vessels are not carrying Russian cargo.

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U.S. Vice President JD Vance personally asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during a phone call on July 31, 2026, that Kyiv halt attacks on infrastructure linked to the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC), the Financial Times reported, citing informed sources.

According to the newspaper, Washington feared that further strikes could seriously disrupt the global oil market and harm U.S. interests, including stakes held by Chevron and Exxon in Kazakhstan's main export route. The CPC terminal in the Russian port of Novorossiysk is a key point for exporting Kazakh oil across the Black Sea.

Cessation of Attacks After Vance's Call

The Financial Times states that Ukraine has not attacked tankers near the CPC terminal since the aforementioned conversation. "Ukraine has not targeted tankers near the CPC terminal since then," the newspaper reports. A senior Ukrainian official confirmed to the Financial Times the change in approach: "We listen very carefully to our American partners."

By August 12, 2026, according to reports, Ukraine had completely halted drone strikes on tankers using the Russian port of Novorossiysk.

Bloomberg: Ukraine Gave a Promise to Washington

Bloomberg reported on August 8 that Kyiv, at the request of the Trump administration, had committed to refraining from attacks on oil tankers linked to Russia and Black Sea infrastructure involved in exporting Kazakh oil. According to that information, Ukraine "committed to refraining from targeting Caspian Pipeline Consortium infrastructure and non-Russian vessels heading to the terminal, as long as those ships are not under Ukrainian sanctions and are not carrying Russian cargo."

One of the Financial Times' sources also cited a possible motive for Kyiv's agreement to the request: Ukraine had asked the Trump administration for a U.S. license to produce interceptor missiles for Patriot systems.