US Edition
Trump reverses course on Cuban oil blockade, allows Russian tanker to pass
The sanctioned Russian tanker Anatoly Kolodkin delivered about 730,000 barrels of crude oil, enough for roughly nine to ten days of diesel demand, easing Cuba's energy crisis.
- On Monday, the US administration allowed the sanctioned Russian-flagged tanker Anatoly Kolodkin to proceed to Cuba, marking a rare pause in Washington's de facto fuel blockade of the energy-starved island.
- Washington's fuel blockade intensified after the January 3 capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, which cut off Cuba's primary oil supplier and triggered severe fuel rationing, blackouts, and nationwide shortages across the island.
- Carrying approximately 730,000 barrels of crude, the tanker is expected to reach Matanzas by Tuesday, with energy analyst Jorge Piñón estimating the cargo could yield 250,000 barrels of diesel—enough to cover about 12.5 days of demand.
- President Donald Trump stated he has "no problem" with the delivery, telling reporters, "the people need heat and cooling," while maintaining the shipment will not fundamentally alter Cuba's deteriorating energy crisis.
- Analysts warn the shipment offers only temporary relief, not a permanent solution, as the administration continues pressuring Cuba's government while managing geopolitical implications of the vessel's arrival off Florida's coast.
485 Articles
485 Articles
Russian oil tanker arrives in Cuba
Russia said on Monday that an oil tanker carrying 100,000 metric tons of crude oil had arrived in Cuba and that Moscow would stand by its friends by working on further supplies despite a US blockade of the island. The US cut off Venezuela's oil exports to Cuba after toppling deposed Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro on January 3, and US President Donald Trump threatened to slap punishing tariffs on any other country that sent crude to Cuba. Bu…
Trump is now allowing a Russian tanker to deliver oil to Cuba, which he has otherwise tried to stifle with sanctions. Following American foreign policy is like reading a newspaper in a windy day, writes US correspondent Jacob Fuglsang in this analysis.
Trump backs down on Cuba blockade after months of tough talk: report
President Donald Trump has quietly retreated from his bombastic vow to choke off Cuba's oil supply, allowing a Russian tanker to deliver crude to the island and signaling the administration may let other shipments through, too.The about-face, reported by The New York Times on Monday, comes after months of Trump threatening to take over Cuba entirely and declaring in January: "THERE WILL BE NO MORE OIL OR MONEY GOING TO CUBA — ZERO!"White House p…
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