A U.S.-imposed fuel embargo has threatened to spark a humanitarian crisis in Cuba. Cuba’s energy grid relies on fossil fuels.
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak has said that his government is discussing the possibility of providing fuel to Cuba. This is due to the United States continuing to restrict oil resources from moving to the island nation of Cuba.
The Wednesday 25 February ’26 statement, which was reported by the RIA state news agency, came days after Russia’s deputy foreign minister also added that Moscow is inclined to ‘provide supplies’ to Cuba.
Until recently, Russia has been among the top suppliers of crude oil to Cuba. This was along with other countries like Mexico and Venezuela.
Last month, on January 26, a U.S. attack on Venezuela disrupted Cuba’s fuel supplies.
Venezuela.
On 3 January ’26, the U.S. launched a military operation to abduct Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Shortly afterwards, U.S. President Donald Trump announced he would cut off Cuba’s supplies of Venezuelan crude oil and financial assistance.
Following this, on 29 January, he issued an executive order threatening tariffs against any country providing crude oil shipments to Cuba.
As the United Nations warns of the potential for a humanitarian collapse’ on the island, countries like Mexico and Russia have been attempting to negotiate the fuel blockade.
Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin slammed Trump’s executive order as “unacceptable.” This was while meeting with Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez in Moscow.
Prior to the fuel blockade, Cuba’s economy was already moving through a challenging period. This situation was caused by a decades-long embargo that originated from Cuba’s alliance with the Soviet Union during the Cold War.
Both economic and political crises have also spurred unrest and migration. For instance, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the island’s tourism sector cratered, which prompted a mass exodus. As many as 2 million people left, which amounts to more than 10% of its population.
