Russia will keep helping Cuba, diplomat says after first oil tanker arrives

Russian-flagged oil tanker Anatoly Kolodkin, right, docks at an oil terminal in Matanzas, Cuba, Tuesday, March 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

Russia will keep providing assistance to Cuba, Russia’s foreign ministry spokeswoman said Wednesday, a day after a Russian oil tanker provided the fuel-starved island with its first shipment of crude in months.

Cuba has been suffering from an energy crisis since January, when U.S. forces abducted Venezuelan president and Cuban ally Nicolas Maduro.

His removal deprived Cuba of its main oil supplier.

“Cuba is our closest friend and partner in the Caribbean and we don’t have the right to abandon it. Assistance to Cuba will continue,” Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a weekly briefing.

A Russian tanker entered the Cuban port of Matanzas on Tuesday carrying 730,000 barrels of oil following a three-week journey from Russia.

Moscow historically maintains close ties to Havana and has criticized Washington for blocking fuel deliveries to the island.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday he had “no problem” with Russia sending oil to the island.

“Cuba’s finished. They have a bad regime. They have very bad and corrupt leadership and whether or not they get a boat of oil it’s not going to matter,” he said.