Russia vows to keep aiding Cuba as a key oil shipment arrives, easing the island’s severe fuel crisis and reinforcing their longstanding alliance.
MOSCOW: Russia has pledged to continue providing assistance to its close Caribbean partner Cuba, a day after the first Russian oil tanker in months delivered crucial crude to the fuel-starved island.
Foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova declared that Cuba is Russia’s closest friend and partner in the region, stating they do not have the right to abandon it.
Her comments came after a Russian tanker completed a three-week journey, entering the port of Matanzas on Tuesday with a delivery of 730,000 barrels of oil.
Cuba has been grappling with a severe energy crisis since January, when the removal of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro deprived it of its main oil supplier.
Moscow, which maintains historically close ties with Havana, has criticised Washington for blocking fuel deliveries to the island nation.
US President Donald Trump stated he had no problem with Russia sending oil to Cuba, but claimed the island’s regime was finished with bad and corrupt leadership.
Trump added that whether or not Cuba received a boat of oil would not ultimately matter.