RT.com
25 Apr 2026, 00:15 GMT+10
Humanitarian shipments will continue, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has said
Moscow will continue supplying Cuba amid the US blockade squeezing the island, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Friday.
In late March, Russiadelivered100,000 tons of crude to the island, which has faced severe fuel shortages and power cuts since late last year, when Washington began to escalate its decades-long trade embargo into a full-blown oil blockade. Russian Energy Minister Sergey Tsivilev has indicated that a second tanker is on its way.
"We will continue to provide humanitarian aid to our Cuban friends during this difficult period," Zakharova said in a press briefing.
Cuba has faced nationwide blackouts and severe fuel shortages in recent months, since Venezuela, at one point the island's main oil supplier, stopped crude shipments under pressure from Washington.
US President Donald Trump has signaled that he intends to "take" Cuba "one way or another" and threatened tariffs against countries exporting crude to the island.
However, late last month, after a Russian oil tanker bypassed the US blockade, he told reporters that Washington doesn't "mind having somebody get a boat load" into the island, as "they need to survive."
According to Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel, the island relies on imports for between 40-60% of the seven million tons of fossil fuels it needs per year.
Cuba has had to lean more heavily into renewable energy sources like solar and biofuels due to the blockade, which has had a "tremendous impact on health systems," education, transportation, and civilian infrastructure like water distribution, he said in an interview with journalist Breno Altman in Havana on Wednesday.
Diaz-Canel confirmed that talks with the US were ongoing but stressed that Cuba would reject any demands pertaining to its "political system." In the meantime, the island's communist party has worked to "update" the economy by giving more autonomy to private businesses and providing more investment opportunities for the Cuban diaspora abroad, he said.
(RT.com)
Get a daily dose of South America Times news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to South America Times.
More InformationISTANBUL, Turkey: A bill that restricts children under 15 from accessing social media platforms was passed late on April 22 by Turkish...
LONDON, U.K.: On April 21, Parliament passed the Tobacco and Vapes Bill that ensures children born after December 31, 2008, will be...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: The U.S. military has been told by President Donald Trump to shoot and kill Iranian small boats choking the Strait...
Prominent Lebanese journalist Amal Khalil was killed on Wednesday in what appeared to be a targeted attack by the Israeli military...
DUBAI, U.A.E.: Diplomatic efforts to restore global energy supplies and ensure a second round of talks between the United States and...
BUCHAREST, Romania: One of the country's national treasures, a priceless golden helmet dating back 2,500 years, stolen from a Dutch...
Humanitarian shipments will continue, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has said Moscow will continue supplying...
The Pentagon has suggested punishing Madrid for blocking bases and airspace during the war on Iran, according to an internal email...
(260424) -- CHONGQING, April 24, 2026 (Xinhua) -- A tourist from Mexico purchases shoes at an international smallware wholesale market...
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], April 24 (ANI): Hockey India on Friday announced that a special goalkeeping camp for the Indian Women's...
(260424) -- BUENOS AIRES, April 24, 2026 (Xinhua) -- People visit the 50th Buenos Aires International Book Fair in Buenos Aires, Argentina,...
Washington DC [US], April 24 (ANI): Uncertainty over Iran's participation in the FIFA World Cup 2026 has deepened after remarks from...
