A Russian oil tanker has arrived off the coast of Cuba on March 30, delivering a long-awaited fuel shipment as the island grapples with a deepening energy crisis worsened by US restrictions and global supply disruptions.
Russian media reported that the tanker Anatoly Kolodkin entered Cuban waters carrying around 100,000 tonnes of crude oil, marking the first such delivery since January. The shipment is expected to dock at the Matanzas Oil Terminal and provide short-term relief to a country facing widespread blackouts and fuel shortages.
The arrival comes amid a shift in tone from Donald Trump, who said he had “no problem” with countries, including Russia, sending oil to Cuba, suggesting a possible easing, at least temporarily, of a de facto fuel blockade imposed earlier this year.
“We don’t mind having somebody get a boatload because they need… they have to survive,” Trump said, while also reiterating criticism of Cuba’s leadership and maintaining broader pressure on the island.
Cuba’s government said that the tanker’s arrival was a break in the blockade, which has sharply reduced fuel imports and contributed to a series of nationwide power outages. The crisis has strained essential services, with the World Health Organization warning that hospitals have struggled to maintain emergency and intensive care operations due to fuel shortages.
The situation worsened after the US curtailed oil flows linked to Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela, a key ally that had previously supplied Cuba with subsidized crude. Additional US measures, including threats of tariffs on countries shipping oil to Cuba, further tightened supply.
Russia said the shipment was a “humanitarian” delivery. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov described it as part of Moscow’s “duty to step up and provide necessary assistance to our Cuban friends,” adding that the move had been communicated to US officials in advance.
At the same time, Mexico has signaled it may resume or expand fuel shipments to Cuba despite international pressure. President Claudia Sheinbaum said Mexico has “every right” to send fuel, whether for humanitarian or commercial purposes.
“Mexico has every right to send fuel… the goal is always to provide humanitarian aid,” Sheinbaum said, while noting concerns about potential US tariff measures.
Mexico had been a key supplier of oil to Cuba before recent restrictions, with shipments peaking in 2025 before declining under diplomatic pressure from Washington. Sheinbaum said her government is working with Cuban authorities to restore supplies, emphasizing that such exports represent a small share of Mexico’s production but are critical for Cuba.
She also criticized sanctions that she said are “suffocating” the Cuban population.
