In the midst of one of the worst energy crises Cuba has experienced in decades, the President of the United States, Donald Trump, downplayed the shipment of Russian oil to the island and stated that, rather than benefiting Moscow, it is Vladimir Putin who is truly losing.
“He loses an oil tanker. That’s it,” the leader stated when asked about the arrival of the Russian tanker Anatoli Kolodkin, loaded with approximately 730,000 barrels of crude oil.
The statement comes at a critical moment for millions of Cubans who have been facing prolonged blackouts, fuel shortages, and a rapid deterioration of living conditions for months. The ship, which has already arrived in Matanzas, represents the first major shipment of crude oil in nearly three months and would only be enough to temporarily alleviate the crisis.
However, Trump insisted that this shipment does not change the political or strategic landscape. In his view, allowing the entry of oil is not a concession to Russia, but rather a pragmatic decision in the midst of a critical humanitarian situation.
The leader defended that he has no objection to other countries sending fuel to the island, emphasizing that the population needs electricity to survive, while reiterating his harsh criticisms of the Cuban government, which he described as corrupt and without a future.
The statement, made aboard Air Force One, reveals a different approach to the confrontational rhetoric that Washington had maintained weeks earlier, when it threatened to impose sanctions on any country that provided fuel to Cuba.
Additionally, the Kremlin itself confirmed that this movement was not improvised. The Russian presidential spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, asserted that Moscow had previously discussed these humanitarian shipments with the United States, reported the agency TASS.
"This issue was raised earlier during contacts with our American counterparts," Peskov noted, hinting that the arrival of Russian oil had the approval of Washington.
For Cubans, however, the geopolitical debate is far removed from everyday reality. On the island, the lack of fuel has caused power outages lasting over 30 hours, a halt in transportation, and severe disruptions to basic services.
Russian oil, while essential in the short term, does not address the underlying problem. It merely provides a respite amid a structural crisis that keeps the country on the edge.
While Washington and Moscow exchange messages, life in Cuba remains marked by uncertainty: a ship may arrive... but for many, the darkness does not fade.
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