Trump says he has ‘no problem’ with Russian oil tanker bringing relief to Cuba despite blockade
ON BOARD AIRFORCE ONE — President Donald Trump said Sunday evening that he had “no problem” with a Russian tanker off the coast of Cuba bringing relief to the island, brought to its knees by the US oil blockade.
“We have a tanker there. We don’t mind if someone takes a full boat because they need… they need to survive,” Trump told reporters as he returned to Washington.
Asked if a New York Times report that the tanker would be allowed to reach Cuba was true, Trump responded: “I told them if any country wants to send oil to Cuba now, I have no problem, whether it’s Russia or not.” »
Tracking data shows the tanker carrying about 730,000 barrels of oil was just off the eastern tip of the island Sunday evening and was expected to arrive in the city of Matanzas by Tuesday. Journalists working for Cuban state media also reported the boat’s expected arrival, although Cuban officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The ship, the Anatoly Kolodkin, is sanctioned by the United States, the European Union and the United Kingdom following the war in Ukraine.
Trump, whose administration has been more aggressive toward its Caribbean adversary than any U.S. government in recent history, has effectively cut off Cuba from its major oil shipments in an effort to force regime change. The blockade has had devastating effects on civilians. Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio say they want to help, leaving many of them desperate.
Island-wide power outages have shaken Cubans already grappling with years of crisis, and a lack of gasoline and basic resources has crippled hospitals and reduced public transportation.
Experts estimate the planned shipment could produce about 180,000 barrels of diesel, enough to meet Cuba’s daily demand for nine or 10 days.
Island-wide power outages have shaken Cubans already grappling with years of crisis, and a lack of gasoline and basic resources has crippled hospitals and reduced public transportation.
Cuba has long been at the center of a decades-long geopolitical tug-of-war between the United States and Russia. Trump on Sunday rejected the idea that allowing the boat to reach Cuba would help Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“It doesn’t help him. He loses a ship of oil, that’s all. If he wants to do that, and if other countries want to do it, that doesn’t bother me much,” Trump said. “It won’t have any impact. Cuba is finished. They have a bad regime. They have very bad, corrupt leaders and whether or not they get an oil ship, it won’t matter.”
He added: “I would rather let it in, whether it’s Russia or anyone else, because people need heat and cooling and everything else. »
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Associated Press journalists Megan Janetsky contributed to this report from Mexico City and Andrea Rodríguez contributed to this report from Havana.
