The U.S. government has decided to permit Russian tankers laden with crude oil to dock in Cuba, a move that could alleviate a blockade driving the island into an energy crisis, reports suggest.
The Russian-flagged tanker named Anatoly Kolodkin set sail for Cuba on Sunday, reportedly carrying around 730,000 barrels of crude. This information emerged from sources within the U.S. government, according to The New York Times.
Trackers indicated the Anatoly Kolodkin was positioned just off Cuba’s eastern coast on Sunday. When addressed about this, President Trump told reporters, “We have tankers, and I don’t mind if someone loads them on a ship, because we need them to survive.”
“If a country wants to send oil to Cuba now, I have no problem whether it’s Russia or not,” he elaborated.
Historically, Trump has aimed to limit oil deliveries to Cuba as a means of pressuring the Cuban leadership. However, given recent turmoil in the Strait of Hormuz due to a U.S. and Israeli military offensive against Iran, the administration has temporarily relaxed some restrictions on Russian oil shipments to help stabilize global energy costs.
As the Anatoly Kolodkin makes its way, tracking services like Marine Traffic and LSEG suggest it could soon reach the Cuban port of Matanzas if it stays on its present course.
This shipment could significantly aid Cuba, which has been grappling with fuel shortages for several months, compelling the government to impose strict rationing. President Miguel Díaz-Canel has highlighted the ongoing difficulties in securing adequate fuel supply.
The situation worsened for Cuba when the U.S. detained former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro earlier this year, which removed a crucial ally that provided oil under favorable terms.
In reaction, the Trump administration stated that it would prevent any Venezuelan oil exports to Cuba and levy tariffs on third-party nations supplying oil to Venezuela. This led to Mexico halting its oil exports to the island.
Additionally, another vessel, the Hong Kong-flagged Seahorse, which was intended to deliver around 200,000 barrels of Russian fuel to Cuba, ended up being redirected to Venezuela instead.
