WASHINGTON

Cuba's Foreign Ministry expressed gratitude on Tuesday after a Russian tanker delivered crude oil to a Cuban port, calling the shipment critical amid persistent energy shortages.

“We thank the Government and people of Russia for their solidarity support with the arrival of the Russian tanker at a Cuban port,” the ministry said on US social media platform X.

“This valuable aid arrives amid the energy blockade imposed by the United States, which seeks to strangle the Cuban population.”

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated on Monday that Russia believes it has a responsibility to assist Cuba in providing critical energy resources, as Moscow cannot stand by while its ally suffers fuel scarcity.

As the Russian tanker approached Cuba, US President Donald Trump said on Sunday he would not enforce the de facto blockade on fuel shipments to the island.

“We don't mind having somebody get a boatload, because they have to survive. I told them, if a country wants to send some oil into Cuba right now, I have no problem, whether it’s Russia or not,” Trump told reporters.

The White House said on Monday that allowing a Russian oil tanker to deliver crude to Cuba does not signal a change in US sanctions policy.

The tanker is carrying an estimated 730,000 barrels of crude, enough to supply Cuba for at least several weeks before fuel reserves run out, according to reports.