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Mar 29, 2026

US Eases Stance on Cuba Oil Shipments as Russian Tanker Approaches

AI Summary
The US has signaled a new flexibility in allowing oil shipments to Cuba, hours before a Russian oil tanker was due to arrive on the island. The move comes amid a worsening energy crisis in Cuba, which has been under a de facto oil blockade imposed by Washington.

Donald Trump has indicated a shift in his administration's stance on oil shipments to Cuba, stating that he has 'no problem' with countries sending oil to the island, whether it's Russia or not. This development comes as a Russian oil tanker, under US sanctions, was set to arrive in the Caribbean island.

The Russian tanker, Anatoly Kolodkin, carrying 730,000 barrels of crude, could soon discharge at Cuba's Matanzas port. This shipment would provide significant relief to Cuba, which has not received any oil imports for three months, leading to strict rationing of gasoline and exacerbating an energy crisis that has resulted in multiple power outages across the island.

Cuba lost its main regional ally and oil supplier in January when US forces captured Venezuela's president, Nicolás Maduro. Trump subsequently threatened to impose tariffs on any country sending oil to Cuba and has mused about 'taking' the island.

The US oil blockade has forced Cuba to impose emergency measures to conserve fuel, including strict rationing of gasoline. Fuel prices have soared, public transport has dwindled, and some airlines have suspended flights to Cuba, hitting the country's fragile economy.

Jorge Pinon, an expert on Cuba's energy sector at the University of Texas at Austin, noted that once the Russian tanker enters Cuban waters, it 'is almost impossible for the US government to stop it.'

The Russian shipment could be converted into 250,000 barrels of diesel, enough to cover the country's demand for about 12.5 days, according to Pinon.