Russian tanker nears Cuba with much-needed oil as Trump softens tone

ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE, March 29 (Reuters) – A Russian tanker full of crude oil has entered Cuban waters and was expected to reach port on Monday, possibly granting a lifeline to Cuba as ​U.S. President Donald Trump appeared to relax a de facto oil blockade on the Caribbean ​island.

Ship tracking data showed the Russian-flagged tanker Anatoly Kolodkin was just off ⁠the eastern tip of Cuba on Sunday. It was due to reach the port of Matanzas on ​Monday, the official Cuban news site Cubadebate reported.

U.S. President Donald Trump, speaking to reporters aboard Air ​Force One, signaled a new flexibility in allowing oil into Cuba, saying, “If a country wants to send some oil into Cuba, right now, I have no problem whether it’s Russia or not.”

[simpay id=”85861″] Until now, Trump had effectively halted all oil ​shipments to Cuba in an attempt to pressure the government in Havana, while also issuing a series ​of threatening statements against Havana.

The New York Times, citing a U.S. official briefed on the matter, reported the ‌U.S. Coast ⁠Guard allowed the sanctioned vessel to sail to Cuba, though it was unclear why. Blocking the tanker by force, however, could have escalated the risk of conflict with Russia at a precarious time in geopolitics.

Cubadebate called the Russian shipment a direct challenge to the U.S. oil blockade, after the Russian navy ​escorted the sanctioned vessel ​through the English Channel ⁠on its way to the Caribbean.

In any case, the oil would be welcomed by Cuba, which has imposed strict rationing of gasoline amid the U.S. ​oil blockade and experienced a series of major power outages across the ​Communist-ruled island.

The ⁠Anatoly Kolodkin tanker departed from Russia’s Primorsk port carrying some 650,000 barrels of crude, LSEG ship-monitoring data showed. Other reports said the vessel contained 730,000 barrels.

Earlier in March, the U.S. temporarily eased sanctions on Russia to help ⁠improve the ​global flow of oil that has been restricted by the ​U.S.-Israeli war with Iran.