Newsman: President Donald Trump said he has no objection to a Russian‑flagged tanker delivering oil to Cuba to ease the island’s energy crisis, despite the U.S. blockade, and warned that Cuba is a failing country that may require further U.S. action.
President Donald Trump confirmed on March 29 that he would allow a Russian tanker to supply Cuba despite the blockade against the island.
“I told them if a country wants to send some oil into Cuba right now, I have no problem with that, whether it’s Russia or no,” Trump told reporters March 29 aboard Air Force One. “Whether or not they get a boat of oil, it’s not going to matter. I’d prefer letting it in, whether it’s Russia or anybody else, because the people need heat and cooling and everything else.”
The United States has blocked shipments from Venezuela, which supported Cuba before the U.S. removed its former leader, Nicolas Maduro. Ship-tracking data showed the sanctioned Russian-flagged tanker, Anatoly Kolodkin, was just off the eastern tip of Cuba and due to reach the port of Matanzas on March 30, Reuters reported, citing Cuban news site Cuba debate.
However, Trump repeated his vow that Cuba would be next, which critics have worried could mean military action against the island nation after the military removal of Venezuela’s leader and the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran. By “next,” Trump has said that could mean helping free it or “taking it.”
Trump’s latest comments marked a stark change from January. After removing Maduro, Trump had said on social media Jan. 11: “THERE WILL BE NO MORE OIL OR MONEY GOING TO CUBA – ZERO!” He also signed an executive order Jan. 29 threatening new duties on countries that provided oil to Cuba.
The oil would provide relief to Cuba, which, according to President Miguel Diaz-Canel, has not received any oil imports for three months. The lack of oil led to strict rationing of gasoline and worsened an energy crisis that resulted in power outages across Cuba.
