While the Caribbean island is suffering from a severe energy crisis, Moscow can distinguish itself on the diplomatic front.
March 30, 2026, 11:22 amMarch 30, 2026, 11:22 am
It was the showdown of the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962: The Soviet tanker “Bucharest” ran undaunted towards the naval blockade around the Caribbean island declared by John F. Kennedy. If the ship had been captured or even sunk by the US destroyers, the nuclear Armageddon of World War III could have been the result.
Out of gas: A Cuban woman walks past a closed gas station in Havana.Image: keystone
Today we know that, thank God, things turned out differently. The Soviet Union had the “Bucharest” and other ships and submarines turned away again, and the USA and Soviet Union solved the Cuban Missile Crisis using secret diplomatic means.
64 years later, Donald Trump’s own Cuba blockade is taking a similarly surprising turn. Or perhaps not so surprising: The USA is allowing a Russian oil tanker carrying around 730,000 barrels of crude oil to enter Cuba – thereby deviating from its tough sanctions policy for the first time.
The tanker “Anatoly Kolodkin” is expected to reach the port of Matanzas on Tuesday night and, at least temporarily, provide the Caribbean island state with much-needed energy. Apparently the Russian captain made a special joke beforehand by stating his original destination as “Atlantis, USA”.
Relief for Cuba, but only in the short term
The decision marks a reversal by President Donald Trump’s administration. Since January, Washington has effectively enforced an oil blockade against Cuba and threatened other countries with sanctions if they supplied fuel. However, Trump now explains: “If a country now wants to send oil to Cuba, I have no problem with it – whether it’s Russia or someone else.”
Reporter: There’s a report that the US is going to let a Russian oil tanker go to Cuba?
Trump: If a country wants to send some oil into Cuba, I have no problem with that.
Reporter: Do you worry that that will help Putin?
Trump: It doesn’t help him. He loses one boatload of oil.… pic.twitter.com/8Vh6gHwaxs
— Acyn (@Acyn) March 30, 2026
At the same time, it puts the effect of the delivery into perspective. “This will have no impact, Cuba is finished,” Trump concluded on Sunday evening during one of his impromptu media conferences on board Air Force One. He describes the leadership in Havana as “bad and corrupt”.
The delivery comes at a critical time for Cuba. The US sanctions have triggered a serious energy crisis: nationwide power outages, fuel shortages, rising prices and problems in medical care characterize everyday life. International criticism, including from the United Nations, speaks of a humanitarian crisis.
Analysts assume that Russian oil will stabilize the situation but will not fundamentally solve it. “It buys them time,” says energy expert Jorge Piñón from the University of Texas “New York Times”. Once processed in refineries, the oil can only cover demand for a few weeks at most.
Due to the lack of energy, power outages occur regularly in Havana and other Cuban cities.Image: keystone
Diesel is particularly important, as it is needed in Cuba for transport, agriculture and parts of electricity production. Because of the shortage, even relief supplies could not be distributed recently.
Political signal and geopolitical risks
It’s not entirely clear why the White House allowed the tanker to pass, the New York Times is now puzzling. The answer is obvious: the oil comes from Putin. The US President generally avoids serious confrontations with the Kremlin ruler, on the contrary. In addition, according to the Washington Post, a tension with Russia off Cuba could “further destabilize the oil markets” given the ongoing Iran war.
Moscow, meanwhile, has reiterated its support for Havana. The Russian government declares that it stands “in full solidarity with Cuba” and is ready to provide “all necessary assistance”. Given the failure of Russian alliance policy in Syria, Venezuela and Iran to date, this is a simple diplomatic victory for Moscow.
It is unclear whether further Russian oil deliveries will follow. However, observers assume that the current decision could be a signal. “The ‘Anatoly Kolodkin’ will not be the last delivery,” predicts a risk analyst to the Washington Post.
Regime change remains the goal
Despite the current easing of restrictions, the US government is sticking to its goal of political change in Cuba. Foreign Minister Marco Rubio recently called for a system change because otherwise the country’s economy cannot be reformed.
Trump himself even floated military options on Sunday: “Sometimes you have to use the military – and Cuba is next.” In Havana, people reacted with resistance. Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío says the country is preparing “for the possibility of military aggression,” but hopes that it does not come to this.
For Cuba, the current delivery means one thing above all: a short respite in an ongoing crisis – while the geopolitical conflict over the island continues to escalate. (aargauerzeitung.ch)