Russia mulling options to aid Cuba amid fuel crisis

Russia is exploring ways to assist Cuba during a severe fuel shortage, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on February 12, amid US threats to impose tariffs on nations helping the sanctions-hit Caribbean island.

"We have been holding talks throughout these days, we are in contact with our Cuban friends, we are discussing the options available to provide them with assistance," Peskov told reporters, adding that such matters could not be discussed publicly for "obvious reasons."

The Russian embassy in Havana announced earlier on the same day that Moscow plans to deliver oil and petroleum products to Cuba as humanitarian aid in the near future, though no specific timeline was provided.

Cuba's already dire energy situation has worsened following the January 3 capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by US military forces. Venezuela had been a major oil supplier to Cuba before the incident.

Despite recent efforts to diversify its electricity matrix with Chinese-made solar plants, Cuba generates over 80% of its electricity from oil, with ageing thermal power plants – many of Soviet design – relying heavily on both domestic crude and, predominantly, imported fuel.

As a result, oil shortages have rippled across the economy: aviation fuel supplies have been exhausted, forcing authorities to warn international airlines that they cannot refuel on the island, several major tourist resorts have shut down, and queues at petrol stations in Havana have stretched for hours. 

On January 29, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order declaring a "national emergency" over what Washington described as an "unusual and extraordinary threat" from Cuba to American security and the region. The order, which enables the administration to impose tariffs on countries supplying oil to the island, has prompted Mexico to suspend oil supplies.

When asked whether the Kremlin feared increased tensions with Washington over potential Cuban assistance, Peskov responded: "We don't want an escalation, but on the other hand, our trade with the United States is almost nonexistent." Russia has been subject to heavy Western sanctions since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, leaving trade with the United States at minimal levels.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova denounced US actions as an "energy blockade" during her weekly press conference on February 12, stating that measures blocking energy supplies to Cuba have created a serious situation affecting Russian airline flights.

"Now this situation has simply been taken to an absurd point, because they are economically and logistically hitting precisely those people whom they claimed to 'take care of' for so many years, talking about human rights," Zakharova said.

Meanwhile, Russia's Ministry of Economic Development has advised Russian tourists to avoid travelling to Cuba amid the fuel emergency. National carrier Aeroflot has pledged to organise special flights from Varadero and Havana to Moscow to repatriate Russian citizens.

According to Vedomosti, in February 2025 President Vladimir Putin approved the delivery of 100,000 tonnes of oil to Cuba as part of a loan agreement.

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla condemned the US measures, saying they could lead to "a total blockade of energy supplies" and create "extreme life conditions" for Cubans whilst violating international trade principles.

Trump's executive order accused the Cuban government of aligning with "numerous hostile countries", harbouring "transnational terrorist groups" including Hamas and Hezbollah, and allowing deployment of "sophisticated military and intelligence capabilities" from Russia and China on the island.