US President Donald Trump said Sunday that Moscow could deliver oil to Cuba despite Washington’s de facto fuel blockade, as a Russian tanker carrying 730,000 barrels of crude approached the island.
The vessel, Anatoly Kolodkin, was off northeast Cuba on Sunday evening and is expected to dock at the western port of Matanzas by Tuesday, according to MarineTraffic. This would be the first oil shipment to Cuba since January, providing temporary relief to the country’s 9.6 million residents amid a deepening energy and economic crisis.
Trump told reporters from Florida’s Mar-a-Lago estate, “If a country wants to send some oil into Cuba right now, I have no problem with that, whether it’s Russia or not. Cuba’s finished, they have a bad regime, they have very bad and corrupt leadership, and whether or not they get a boat of oil, it’s not going to matter.”
He added, “I’d prefer letting it in… because the people need heat and cooling and all of the other things that you need.” Trump reiterated his criticism of the Cuban government, warning that the regime “will fail within a short period of time” and promising support for Cuban Americans affected by the government’s past actions.
CUBA’S ENERGY CRISIS
Cuba’s energy situation worsened after Washington imposed a fuel blockade following the capture of Venezuela’s leader, Nicolas Maduro, in January. President Miguel Diaz-Canel responded with emergency measures, including strict gasoline rationing.
Fuel shortages have led to soaring prices, reduced public transport, airline suspensions, and seven nationwide blackouts since 2024, including two this month, prompting rare protests. Humanitarian aid has been delivered in recent days, including over 50 tonnes of medicine, food, and solar panels.
LOGISTICS OF THE RUSSIAN SHIPMENT
The Anatoly Kolodkin, under US sanctions, departed the Russian port of Primorsk on March 8. It was escorted by a Russian navy vessel across the English Channel before proceeding alone into the Atlantic. According to reports, the US Coast Guard is allowing the tanker to reach Cuba.
Another tanker, the Sea Horse, reportedly carrying Russian diesel, recently rerouted to Venezuela.
Energy expert Jorge Pinon of the University of Texas at Austin said that once processed, the shipment could yield 250,000 barrels of diesel, enough for about 12.5 days of national demand. Authorities will have to choose between using the fuel for electricity generation or transportation to sustain the economy.
