Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, that the Ukrainian military has targeted U.S.-linked ships and oil supplies several times in recent months. Speaking on "Fox & Friends," Rubio characterized these actions as "probably not deliberate" but said they needed to be addressed. He linked the incidents to President Donald Trump's goal of ending the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.
The remarks were made as world leaders gathered for the United Nations General Assembly in New York, where President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy were scheduled to meet. Rubio, who also serves as Trump’s national security adviser, expressed support for a proposed energy infrastructure ceasefire. This proposal would involve a mutual halt to strikes on both Ukrainian infrastructure and Russian energy supplies.
While Rubio did not provide specific names of the ships or detailed descriptions of the attacks, reports indicate the concerns center on Kazakh crude oil transported through the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC). The pipeline terminates at the Russian port of Novorossiysk. In late July, U.S. officials, including Vice President JD Vance, reportedly requested that Ukraine halt strikes on tankers and infrastructure at this terminal to avoid destabilizing global energy markets. The terminal serves U.S. companies including Chevron and ExxonMobil.
The scale of the disruption is linked to Russia's role as a major energy exporter and Ukraine's recent military campaigns. The commander of Ukraine's drone forces reported striking 300 shadow fleet tankers transporting Russian oil since July. While Ukraine reportedly agreed to avoid non-Russian vessels and CPC infrastructure following U.S. concerns, the expansion of high-risk zones by marine insurers to cover the entire Black Sea has increased the cost of shipping for all commercial operators.
These developments set a precedent for how the U.S. balances support for Ukraine with the management of global energy markets and domestic inflation. If an energy ceasefire is not reached, Russia has indicated it will extend its current ban on diesel exports beyond the end of September, which could further limit global supply. The outcome of the meeting between President Trump and President Zelenskyy at the United Nations will determine if a formal truce on energy infrastructure moves forward. The current Russian diesel export ban remains effective through the end of September.