Cuba prepared Monday to receive a sanctioned Russian oil tanker carrying roughly 730,000 barrels of oil, the first such fuel delivery to the island this year. The ship is set to end at the port of Matanzas, a key hub for a country that produces barely 40% of its needed fuel and relies on imports to keep its energy grid operating.
The reported timeline for the tanker’s arrival differed during the day. Russian transport officials said the Anatoly Kolodkin had already arrived, but a Cuban state television announcer later said the vessel “was sailing north of Cuba toward the port of Matanzas” and would arrive within hours.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russia had previously discussed the shipment with the United States, framing the delivery as support for Cuba. He told reporters that “Russia considers it its duty not to stand aside, but to provide the necessary assistance to our Cuban friends.”
In Washington, U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters Sunday that he had “no problem” with the Russian tanker delivering relief to Cuba. Trump also said he did not think the delivery would help Russian President Vladimir Putin, arguing that “It’s not going to have an impact,” adding that Cuba’s government has “very bad and corrupt leadership.”
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the U.S. decision reflected a humanitarian approach without rewriting the broader sanctions stance. She said the allowance would “continue to be made on a case-by-case basis for humanitarian reasons or otherwise,” and added that “there’s been no firm change in our sanctions policy.”
U.S. sanctions have limited Cuba’s ability to buy oil and fuel supplies from alternative sources. The AP story said Cuba has been squeezed by a U.S. blockade in a campaign the Trump administration has described as trying to force political change, with the report linking that pressure to shortages that have roiled daily life, including blackouts and difficulties for hospitals and public transport.
The tanker’s cargo could narrow the gap for a short period, experts said. The AP account described the anticipated shipment as enough to produce about 180,000 barrels of diesel—potentially sufficient for nine or 10 days of Cuba’s daily demand.
Mexico, which had sent oil to Cuba in solidarity during prior shortages, has shifted toward humanitarian aid after U.S. tariff threats. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, asked about Trump’s comments on allowing the Russian vessel, said Mexico would continue sending aid and that “work was underway” with Cuban authorities on trading oil in the future; she said private companies in Cuba—including hotels—were looking for fuel suppliers and were approaching Mexico’s state oil company to purchase crude, with requests under review.
In a separate development, the U.S. State Department said it reached an agreement with the Cuban government to supply fuel for generators at the U.S. Embassy in Havana. The department said the arrangement at least temporarily removes the possibility that embassy staff would have to leave, citing assurances that Cuba would honor its obligations under the Vienna Convention for timely diplomatic shipments, including of energy supplies.