Trump says he has “no problem” with Russian tanker bringing oil to Cuba despite blockade

President Trump said Sunday night he has “no problem” with a Russian tanker off the coast of Cuba bringing relief to the island, which has been brought to its knees by a US oil blockade.

“We have a tanker there. We don’t mind if someone loads a boat because they need to… they have to survive,” Mr Trump told reporters as he returned to Washington.

Asked whether a New York Times report that the tanker would be allowed to reach Cuba was true, Mr. Trump replied: “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 on 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.

Mr. 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. Mr. 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 struggling with years of crisis, and the lack of gasoline and basic resources has paralyzed 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. Mr. 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,” Mr. 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.”

Mr. Trump has repeatedly hinted at further U.S. actions against Cuba, saying repeatedly, including on Sunday evening, that the Caribbean island was “next.”

“Cuba is a mess. It’s a failed country, and they will be next,” Mr. Trump said. “Before long, this is going to fail, and we will be there to help it. We will be there to help our great Cuban Americans who have been kicked out of Cuba.”

The U.S. blockade has also prompted foreign civilians to take matters into their own hands, embarking on dangerous missions to deliver aid.

Two sailboats who left Mexico carrying aid to Cuba as part of the Nuestra América convoy, landed in Havana on Saturday afternoon after disappearing following their departure on March 20. Adnaan Stumo, the coordinator of the humanitarian convoy, said they had “never faced serious danger” but had been forced to take a longer route to avoid bad weather.

A Mexican navy plane found the sailboats about 80 nautical miles northwest of Havana, Cuba, the navy said on X. The navy then helped escort the boats to Havana.

“We come with a simple but powerful message: solidarity with the Cuban people does not stop at borders. It crosses oceans,” said Stumo, a U.S. citizen. “Over the past week, our sailboats encountered difficult sea conditions, during which we lost contact with convoy coordinators and maritime authorities.”