According to Russian news outlets, a Russian tanker transporting oil to Cuba has reached the waters off the island’s communist government. Hours after US President Donald Trump stated that he had no issue with nations, including Russia, providing supplies to the island, the oil shipment—the first to reach Cuba since January—arrives. Trump’s statement seemed to indicate a relaxation of the de facto oil embargo his administration has placed on Cuba since January.
Due to the blockade’s exacerbation of pre-existing fuel shortages, Cuba has been facing a number of nationwide blackouts. The Russian tanker Anatoly Kolodkin was reportedly transporting a “humanitarian shipment” of 100,000 tons of crude oil, according to Russian media. The World Health Organization (WHO) issued a warning last week that Cuban hospitals were finding it difficult to continue providing emergency and critical care services due to significant fuel shortages.
Since US forces captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro on January 3, Cuba’s situation has drastically worsened. Maduro was a close ally of the Cuban government and had been supplying the island with oil under very favorable terms. Additionally, Trump vowed to put tariffs on any country that exports oil to Cuba.
Also Read:
Iran-Backed Houthis Assault Israel as Part of a Conflict
Issam Mhanna: Turning Every Space into Timeless Experiences
