Russian oil shipments headed toward Cuba could soon mean a confrontation between Havana, Moscow, and Washington, D.C., as Cuba struggles with a severe power and fuel crisis.
The oil represents what would be the first known shipments in about three months.
Two tankers are at the center of that test.
The Hong Kong-flagged Sea Horse is believed to be carrying about 190,000 barrels of Russian oil, while the Russian-flagged Anatoly Kolodkin was reported to be about 3,000 nautical miles from Cuba and roughly 10 days away.
If the vessels unload in Cuba, they would challenge President Donald Trump's effort to deter foreign suppliers from sending oil to the island through new tariff threats, not a formal naval blockade.
The shipments would arrive as Cuba faces one of its worst energy crunches in years.
A fresh grid collapse this week left much of the country without electricity, underscoring the strain on an economy already grappling with shortages of fuel, food, water, and medicine.
Cuba has about 11 million people.
Trump said Monday that he expects to have the "honor" of "taking Cuba in some form" and that he could "do anything I want" with the island.
Reuters reported that Havana denounced the remarks, and the Kremlin responded that Russia was ready to provide "all possible assistance" to Cuba.
At the same time, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel said Cuban and U.S. officials had recently held talks to address bilateral differences and look for areas of cooperation, a sign that diplomatic contacts have continued despite the public escalation.
As Cuba's energy crisis deepens, the arrival of tankers and Washington's response could shed light on the limits faced by Russia and other fuel providers to the island nation, as well as test Trump's tariffs in the region.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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