"US president says he has ‘no problem’ with countries sending some oil to Cuba, in potential lifeline to island nation"
"Donald Trump has signalled a new flexibility in allowing oil into Cuba, hours before a Russian oil tanker under US sanctions arrived in the Caribbean island amid a de facto oil blockade imposed by Washington.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One the president said: “If a country wants to send some oil into Cuba, right now, I have no problem whether it’s Russia or not.”
Until now, Trump’s administration had in effect prevented all oil shipments to Cuba in an attempt to pressure the government in Havana, while also issuing a series of threatening statements.
His comments came after the New York Times reported the US would allow a Russian tanker full of crude oil to reach Cuba, granting a lifeline to the island nation amid a worsening energy crisis.
The report said it was unclear why the Trump administration was allowing the shipment to go through. A move by Washington to block the tanker by force, however, could have raised tensions at sea with Russia."
Tom Phillips reports for The Guardian March 30, 2026.
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"No Food, No Fuel, No Tourists: Under US Pressure, Life In Cuba Grinds To A Halt" (CNN)
