“Months ago, we saw attacks on energy-carrying vessels in the Black Sea, and there was a lot of frustration because American companies were calling us and saying, ‘Hey, the oil on that ship Ukraine hit belonged to us,’” Rubio stated.
He acknowledged that Ukraine likely did not deliberately target American-owned cargo but emphasized that the vessels were nevertheless damaged.
Rubio argued that ongoing disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz, the Red Sea and other regions have already placed considerable pressure on global energy markets, warning that further instability could worsen the situation.
According to the Ukrainian account, Kyiv had warned foreign governments, including the United States, before launching its June–July campaign against Russian oil-export infrastructure in the Black Sea. Those warnings reportedly urged countries to withdraw vessels and end cooperation with the Russian port of Novorossiysk, although American commercial operations continued.
🔥 Rubio’s remarks expose a tension between Washington’s concerns about global energy supplies and Ukraine’s campaign to undermine Russia’s oil-export revenues. While damage to commercial vessels raises legitimate maritime safety and economic concerns, Kyiv views Russian energy infrastructure as an important source of funding for Moscow’s war effort. The reported advance warnings, if substantiated, would also be relevant to assessing what foreign operators knew about the risks before continuing operations.
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