US told Kiev to stop strikes on Russian oil sites
The White House is said to be concerned that a potential rise in gas prices could threaten Joe Biden’s re-election bid
The Financial Times revealed on Friday that US officials have repeatedly warned Ukrainian military leaders that their attacks on Russian oil infrastructure could lead to a rise in global energy prices. Washington is reportedly concerned that this could threaten Joe Biden’s re-election bid.
The White House has “I am increasingly frustrated by the brazen Ukrainian drone attacks.” The British newspaper quoted one of its sources as saying that on Russian refineries, stations and other oil infrastructure.
Washington’s objections come months before the presidential elections in the United States Biden faces a tough fight for re-election this year with gasoline prices rising nearly 15% this year. The newspaper indicated that.
“Nothing scares a sitting American president more than rising gas prices during an election year.” Former White House energy adviser Bob McNally told the Financial Times:
The newspaper said that the Ukrainian Security Service and the Military Intelligence Service (GUR) were behind the recent series of attacks. The sources said that the warnings from Washington were delivered directly to senior officials in those agencies.
Kiev has reportedly justified the strikes by claiming they undermine fuel supplies to front-line troops and hurt Moscow’s profits from oil trade. them too “Delivering a symbolic blow by bringing the war closer to Moscow.”
Some sources also indicated that Kiev was using this strategy to pressure Washington to approve a proposed $60 billion in aid to Ukraine.
The Americans reportedly told Ukrainian officials that sabotage operations could reduce supply on the global oil market and push prices higher. The Financial Times said Moscow may also close the CPC pipeline, which runs from Kazakhstan to the Russian port of Novorossiysk, and which is used by Western giants Exxon Mobil and Chevron.
There have been at least a dozen major attacks on Russian oil infrastructure by Ukrainian forces this year, according to official statements and media reports. These events began with a January 18 strike at a station in St. Petersburg. One of the recent incidents occurred in the Samara region, where a Ukrainian drone caused a fire in a refinery last Saturday.
