President Donald Trump said the United States will allow a Russian oil tanker to deliver crude to Cuba, easing pressure from a U.S. policy that had largely halted fuel shipments to the island.
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Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday, Trump said he had no objection if other countries supply oil to Cuba. He framed the decision as humanitarian, saying the Cuban population needs fuel for basic services such as heating, cooling and electricity.
“If a country wants to send some oil into Cuba right now, I have no problem whether it’s Russia or not,” he said.
Trump signals tolerance for oil shipment
The tanker, owned by the Russian government, is carrying roughly 730,000 barrels of crude oil and was approaching Cuban waters, according to ship-tracking data. Analysts said the shipment could provide the island with several weeks of fuel under current rationing conditions.
Energy crisis on the island
Cuba has been facing a severe energy shortage after the Trump administration effectively cut off many oil deliveries in an effort to pressure the country’s communist leadership.
The move left the island struggling to secure fuel imports. Power outages have become frequent in recent weeks, affecting hospitals, transportation and other basic services. The shortage has also intensified the country’s wider economic crisis.
Fuel imports are critical for Cuba because oil is used to generate most of the country’s electricity. Without regular shipments, authorities have had to ration diesel and scale back power generation.
Trump dismissed suggestions that allowing the tanker could benefit Vladimir Putin, the Russian president. He said a single shipment would not significantly affect Russia’s energy revenue.
“It doesn’t help him,” Trump said, adding that losing one cargo of oil would have little impact on Moscow.
Pressure campaign against Havana
The U.S. restrictions formed part of a broader strategy aimed at forcing political change in Cuba. Washington has limited oil sales to private businesses while restricting deliveries to the state-run system that controls key infrastructure such as hospitals, schools and utilities.
Trump has repeatedly criticized the Cuban leadership, describing it as corrupt and ineffective. He said the government’s problems would not be solved by a single tanker shipment.
“Cuba’s finished,” he told reporters, arguing the regime faces deep structural problems regardless of outside assistance.
Still, the decision to allow the Russian cargo marks a shift from the strict enforcement of the oil blockade in recent months. Earlier measures included threatening sanctions against countries that supplied fuel to the island.
Diplomacy and regime change debate
U.S. officials remain divided on how far to push the pressure campaign. Marco Rubio, the secretary of state, has led discussions with Cuban officials about potential political changes.
Rubio has indicated the United States expects reforms but has suggested they could occur gradually rather than through an immediate collapse of the system.
Meanwhile, some U.S. lawmakers—especially from Florida—continue to advocate for stronger measures aimed at removing the current leadership in Havana.
Cuban authorities recently announced steps intended to attract foreign investment, but U.S. officials said those moves do not go far enough to address Washington’s demands.
For now, the approaching tanker highlights a temporary easing of the pressure campaign, even as tensions between Washington and Havana remain high.
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Adapted by ASEAN Now. Source 30 March 2026