Trump Approves Russian Oil Delivery to Cuba Despite U.S. Blockade

President Trump stated he has no objections to a Russian tanker delivering oil to Cuba, despite ongoing U.S. sanctions against the island. The vessel carries 730,000 barrels of oil and is expected to provide temporary relief from Cuba's energy crisis.

WASHINGTON (TV Delmarva) — While traveling aboard Air Force One Sunday evening, President Donald Trump told reporters he sees no issue with allowing a Russian oil tanker to deliver fuel to Cuba, despite the United States maintaining strict economic sanctions against the Caribbean nation.

Speaking to the press during his return flight to Washington, Trump stated: “We have a tanker out there. We don’t mind having somebody get a boatload because they need… they have to survive.”

The president confirmed reports from The New York Times regarding the oil delivery, telling journalists: “I told them, if a country wants to send some oil into Cuba right now, I have no problem whether it’s Russia or not.”

Maritime tracking information indicates the tanker, named Anatoly Kolodkin, was positioned near Cuba’s eastern coastline Sunday night with approximately 730,000 barrels of crude oil aboard. The vessel is scheduled to dock in Matanzas by Tuesday, according to reports from Cuban government media outlets.

The Anatoly Kolodkin faces sanctions from the United States, European Union, and United Kingdom due to Russia’s conflict in Ukraine.

Under Trump’s administration, Cuba has faced the most severe economic pressure from Washington in decades, with policies designed to isolate the communist government and force political change. These measures have severely impacted ordinary Cubans, creating widespread hardship among the population Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio claim they aim to assist.

The oil embargo has triggered widespread power outages across Cuba, compounding existing economic difficulties. Fuel shortages have disrupted hospital operations and eliminated much of the public transportation system, while citizens struggle to access essential supplies.

Energy specialists estimate the incoming oil shipment could yield roughly 180,000 barrels of diesel fuel, providing Cuba with enough supply to meet daily energy needs for approximately nine to ten days.

The situation reflects the ongoing geopolitical rivalry between Washington and Moscow over influence in Cuba, a dynamic that has persisted for generations. Trump rejected suggestions that permitting the oil delivery would benefit Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“It doesn’t help him. He loses one boatload of oil, that’s all it is. If he wants to do that, and if other countries want to do it, it doesn’t bother me much,” Trump explained. “It’s not going to have an impact. Cuba’s finished. They have a bad regime. They have very bad and corrupt leadership and whether or not they get a boat of oil, it’s not going to matter.”

The president added: “I’d prefer letting it in, whether it’s Russia or anybody else because the people need heat and cooling and all of the other things.”