After the U.S. oil embargo against Cuba, a Russian oil tanker appears to have reached its Cuban destination port. Russian state media report that the ship “Anatoly Kolodkin”, carrying 730,000 barrels of crude, has entered the harbor of Matanzas in western Cuba.
Earlier, U.S. President Donald Trump had suggested that the United States would allow the tanker to enter Cuban waters. Speaking aboard Air Force One in front of journalists, Trump said he had no objection to a country supplying oil to Cuba because the people there need to survive and added that it did not matter whether the oil came from Russia or another nation.
Cuba had stopped receiving oil shipments from Venezuela after the U.S. detained President Nicolás Maduro in January. Deliveries from other countries, such as Mexico, were also halted when the Trump administration threatened additional tariffs. The effective oil blockade has led to power outages and overflowing trash in the capital, while hospitals struggle to supply patients and keep operating rooms open.
It is still unclear what effect the new oil delivery will have. The German Foreign Ministry was unable to give a definitive assessment on Monday. “At the present time I cannot say whether the cargo of such a tanker might improve conditions on site” said a spokesperson from the Foreign Office, according to the dts news agency. She also could not determine whether this shipment would generate additional revenue for the Russian budget, which relies heavily on energy exports and, in turn, supplies Russia’s war funding against Ukraine.
“However, it is clear to us that the situation for people in Cuba is certainly difficult” the spokesperson added. “This also applies to the humanitarian situation. There are various mechanisms, in particular the United Nations’ CERF, through which Germany makes a substantial contribution that is relevant for meeting the needs of the people”.