U.S. President Donald Trump hinted on Sunday that the United States would allow a Russian oil tanker to enter Cuban waters in an effort to ease the island’s energy crisis. The Russian tanker “Anatoly Kolodkin” was sighted off the Cuban coast and may dock at the port of Matanzas in the coming days.
In recent months Washington has intensified pressure on the communist‑run nation by cutting its oil supply from Venezuela and threatening other suppliers with additional tariffs. The effective oil blockade has caused frequent power outages and waste accumulation in Havana, and hospitals have struggled to keep operating rooms open and to care for patients.
During a press briefing on Air Force One, Trump said he has no problem with any country shipping oil to Cuba, stating that the people there must survive. He added that it does not matter whether the oil comes from Russia or elsewhere.
After the U.S. indicted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in January, Cuba ceased receiving oil shipments from Venezuela. Mexico and other potential suppliers also halted deliveries following threats of tariffs from the Trump administration.