Updated March 30, 2026 / 3:35 AM EDT
President Trump said Sunday night he has “no problem” with a Russian tanker reportedly carrying oil to Cuba, even as the U.S. has tightened an oil blockade intended to pressure the Cuban government.
Returning to Washington, Trump told reporters that if a country wants to send fuel to Cuba, he does not object — “whether it’s Russia or not.” Asked about a New York Times report that the tanker would be allowed to reach Cuba, he reiterated that he would not stand in the way, saying people on the island need supplies to survive.
Tracking data indicated the vessel Anatoly Kolodkin, loaded with roughly 730,000 barrels of oil, was positioned off Cuba’s eastern tip Sunday night. The tanker is subject to sanctions by the United States, the European Union and the United Kingdom tied to Russia’s war in Ukraine. Cuban state media reported the ship was scheduled to dock at the port of Matanzas on Monday.
U.S. officials have stepped up pressure on Cuba in hopes of prompting political change, and sanctions and restrictions have sharply curtailed key oil deliveries. The shortfalls have been linked to island-wide blackouts, fuel scarcities and interruptions to hospitals, public transit and other everyday services.
Analysts estimate the incoming shipment could yield about 180,000 barrels of diesel — roughly enough to meet Cuba’s daily diesel needs for nine to 10 days. Trump downplayed the strategic benefit of the delivery to Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling it “one boatload of oil” and saying it would not have a meaningful impact.
“It’s not going to have an impact,” Trump said, adding that Cuba has “a bad regime” and corrupt leadership, and suggesting whether one shipment arrives would not change that reality. He also said he would prefer allowing the fuel in because “the people need heat and cooling and all of the other things.”
Trump has repeatedly signaled the possibility of further measures against Cuba and said the island could be “next” for U.S. efforts to press for a change of government. He predicted the country would fail in a short period and pledged U.S. support for Cuban Americans he described as having been forced out of the island.
The blockade has also prompted private relief efforts. Two sailboats that left Mexico as part of the Nuestra América Convoy carrying humanitarian supplies arrived in Havana on Saturday after going missing following their March 20 departure. Convoy coordinator Adnaan Stumo said the vessels were never in serious danger but had to take a longer route to avoid severe weather.
A Mexican navy aircraft located the sailboats about 80 nautical miles northwest of Havana and escorted them to port, the navy said on X. Stumo described difficult conditions at sea and temporary loss of contact with coordinators and maritime authorities, saying the voyage underscored that solidarity with the Cuban people “doesn’t stop at borders. It crosses oceans.”