A Russian tanker carrying 730,000 barrels of crude has arrived in Cuba after Trump allowed it to bypass the US fuel blockade for humanitarian reasons.
A Russian-flagged oil tanker carrying nearly 730,000 barrels of crude has reached Cuban waters after US President Donald Trump permitted it to break Washington's fuel blockade of the island, reported CNN.
The Russian transport ministry said the Anatoly Kolodkin arrived at Matanzas port on Monday, while MarineTraffic data showed it off Cayo Guillermo heading west. Cuban state media broadcast its imminent arrival as the lead story.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed the ship's arrival and stated that the matter had been raised with US officials. Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that he allowed the shipment for humanitarian reasons, saying Cuba 'has to survive.'
The White House stressed that the move was not a policy change, with press secretary Karoline Leavitt stating that decisions were being made on a case-by-case basis to meet humanitarian needs.
Analysts noted that the shipment offers limited relief. Jorge Pinon of the University of Texas Energy Program pointed out that Cuba needs diesel more than crude, and refining at Havana's outdated Exxon facility could take up to 20 days.
Mexican energy researcher Ramses Pech added that the crude requires laboratory analysis before processing. Once refined, fuel will be distributed according to government priorities.
Cuba consumes about 100,000 barrels of oil daily but covers only 40 percent of this with domestic production. Experts indicated that the shipment could last between 10 to 30 days before shortages resume.
The blockade has worsened blackouts, fuel shortages, and infrastructure breakdowns, prompting rare street protests. Venezuela's supplies stopped after the US captured President Nicolas Maduro in January, while shipments from Mexico were cut off under tariff threats.
Trump dismissed suggestions that the move benefits Russia, stating that President Vladimir Putin 'loses one boatload of oil' and that allowing shipments does not bother him.
