In a bold challenge to U.S. pressure, Russia is preparing to deliver oil and petroleum products to Cuba, framing the aid as humanitarian support despite explicit warnings from President Donald Trump. The move highlights the enduring alliance between Moscow and Havana while testing the limits of Washington’s aggressive campaign to isolate the communist-led island.
The crisis gripping Cuba stems from severe fuel shortages that have crippled daily life, grounded flights, and forced rationing of essential services. Imports of oil have largely halted for nearly a month, with reserves nearing exhaustion. Analysts warn the island could run out of fuel within weeks without new supplies, exacerbating blackouts, transportation breakdowns, and broader economic strain. International airlines, including carriers from Russia and Canada, have suspended or adjusted services due to the inability to refuel planes, stranding thousands of tourists and prompting emergency repatriation efforts.
President Trump escalated U.S. efforts in late January 2026 by signing an Executive Order declaring a national emergency over Cuba, which he described as an “unusual and extraordinary threat” to American national security and foreign policy. The order authorizes additional tariffs on imports from any country that directly or indirectly provides oil to Cuba. This policy builds on broader actions, including efforts to disrupt Venezuelan oil exports—once a primary lifeline for Havana—and threats directed at other potential suppliers like Mexico.
Trump has publicly demanded that Cuba receive “zero” oil or financial support from abroad, urging its leaders to negotiate a deal with the United States—potentially involving concessions such as property restitution for exiled Cubans—before matters worsen further.
Russia, however, has dismissed these threats as largely inconsequential. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described the U.S. approach as “suffocating measures” and “unfair,” accusing Washington of attempting to strangle the Cuban people. He emphasized that Moscow maintains intensive diplomatic contact with Havana and is actively exploring ways to provide assistance. Russian officials noted that limited trade ties with the United States—severely curtailed since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine—reduce the practical impact of any new tariffs.
Russia’s embassy in Havana confirmed to local media that oil shipments are expected imminently, though details on volumes remain undisclosed. The deliveries would build on previous support, including a major crude shipment of about 100,000 tons in early 2025 under a state-backed loan. Moscow’s ambassador to Cuba has reaffirmed solidarity, stating that Russia “will not abandon” its longtime ally even as it evacuates some citizens and adjusts flight schedules amid the shortages.
The impending shipments risk heightening geopolitical tensions between Washington and Moscow, potentially exposing Russian tankers to U.S. sanctions or seizures. Yet Kremlin statements suggest defiance, with officials portraying aid to Cuba as a principled stand against what they call American overreach.
As Cuba grapples with what officials describe as conditions equivalent to wartime hardship, Russia’s willingness to step in underscores the challenges facing U.S. efforts to fully choke off the island’s energy supplies through third-country pressure. The situation remains fluid, with the scale and timing of deliveries subject to ongoing developments.
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