Cuba to receive a sanctioned Russian oil tanker as it struggles under US blockade
apnews.com • • nation
Key Points:
- Cuba is preparing to receive a sanctioned Russian tanker, Anatoly Kolodkin, carrying approximately 730,000 barrels of oil, marking the first such fuel delivery to the island this year amid a U.S. oil blockade.
- U.S. President Donald Trump expressed no objection to the Russian oil shipment to Cuba, emphasizing that decisions on allowing such deliveries are made on a case-by-case basis for humanitarian reasons without a change in sanctions policy.
- The shipment is expected to arrive at the port of Matanzas and could provide about 180,000 barrels of diesel, meeting Cuba’s daily fuel demand for nine to ten days amid severe energy shortages causing blackouts and crippling public services.
- Mexico, under U.S. pressure, halted oil shipments to Cuba but continues to send humanitarian aid and is exploring future oil trade with Cuba, with Cuban private entities seeking fuel supplies from Mexican state-owned companies.
- The U.S. State Department secured an agreement with Cuba to supply fuel for generators at the U.S. Embassy in Havana, ensuring continued diplomatic operations despite broader tensions and sanctions related to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
