Ukraine pledges to USA not to target tankers, infrastructure critical to Kazakh oil exports – media

Ukraine has pledged to the United States that it will refrain from targeting the Caspian pipeline and certain non-Russian vessels heading to a terminal in the Black Sea, according to Bloomberg. A U.S. official confirmed that Ukraine has agreed not to attack non-Russian oil tankers and Black Sea infrastructure crucial for Kazakhstani oil exports.

This commitment was made during a meeting between senior U.S. government officials and Ukrainian leaders. The agreement follows a series of recent attacks on vessels near the Caspian Pipeline Consortium terminal in Novorossiysk, which has led to suspended operations. Under the deal, Ukraine has committed to refraining from attacking the Caspian Pipeline Consortium's infrastructure and non-Russian vessels heading to the terminal, as long as these vessels are not subject to Ukrainian sanctions, do not carry Russian cargo, and are not owned by Russian individuals or entities.

Kyiv will also provide instructions to shippers, identifying which vessels are off-limits for attack. This agreement aims to increase oil flows in the region, as Kazakhstan has no alternative routes for transporting its oil besides the Caspian Pipeline.