The United States has called on Ukraine to stop attacks on Russia's energy infrastructure, warning that drone strikes on Russian oil refineries could lead to an increase in world oil prices and provoke retaliation. The Financial Times reported this on Friday, citing unnamed sources.

"Repeated warnings from Washington have been addressed to senior officials of Ukraine's State Security Service and its military intelligence directorate, known as the GUR," the FT said.

According to the publication, oil prices have risen by about 15% this year to $85 per barrel, which has led to higher fuel prices just as US President Joe Biden begins his re-election campaign.

"Nothing scares the current American president more than rising fuel prices in an election year," the FT quoted Bob McNally, president of Rapidan Energy, a consulting firm and former White House energy adviser, as saying.

According to the article, Washington is also concerned that if Ukraine continues to strike Russian facilities, including many hundreds of miles from the border, Russia could retaliate against energy infrastructure that the West relies on.

This includes the CPC pipeline, which carries oil from Kazakhstan through Russia to the world market. Western companies, including ExxonMobil and Chevron, use the pipeline, which Moscow briefly closed in 2022.