Cuba was preparing on Monday to receive a sanctioned Russian tanker carrying about 730,000 barrels of oil, offering a temporary lifeline to the island as it struggles through a fuel crisis worsened by a U.S. oil blockade, according to the Associated Press. 

The Russian-flagged Anatoly Kolodkin was headed for the Cuban port of Matanzas, a key energy hub on an island that produces only about 40 percent of the fuel it needs and depends on imports to keep its power grid running. Experts cited by the AP said the cargo could yield about 180,000 barrels of diesel, enough to cover Cuba’s daily demand for roughly nine to 10 days.

The delivery comes after U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday he had “no problem” with the Russian tanker bringing relief to Cuba. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Monday that any such decisions would continue to be made on a case-by-case basis and that there had been no broader change in U.S. sanctions policy, according to the AP.

The shipment underscores Cuba’s central place in the long-running geopolitical contest between Washington and Moscow, even as the island faces blackouts, fuel shortages, and severe strains on hospitals and public transport.

Mexico, which had previously sent oil to Cuba, halted those shipments under threat of U.S. tariffs and has pivoted to humanitarian aid instead, according to the report. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said her government would continue sending assistance and was working with Cuban authorities on possible future oil trade, while noting that private Cuban entities including hotels were seeking suppliers.

The Cuban fuel shipment comes as war-related disruptions have also forced countries elsewhere to rework energy supply lines. In South Korea, petrochemicals maker LG Chem is set to import 27,000 metric tons of Russian naphtha on Monday, according to Reuters. The expected purchase would be the country’s first of Russian naphtha since Washington eased sanctions.

The purchase follows a 30-day U.S. waiver issued earlier this month allowing countries to buy sanctioned Russian oil and petroleum products stranded at sea, part of an effort to stabilize global energy markets shaken by the Iran war. South Korea’s Industry Ministry confirmed the shipment and said Korean firms were also trying to secure Russian crude, though no concrete plans were in place, according to Reuters.

Read more at the Associated Press 

Read more at Reuters