A Russian oil tanker has delivered the first crude shipment to Cuba in more than three months, after US President Donald Trump signalled he would allow supplies to reach the island despite an effective fuel blockade imposed earlier this year.

The tanker Anatoly Kolodkin, carrying around 100,000 tonnes (roughly 730,000 barrels) of crude, arrived at Cuba’s Matanzas terminal, according to Russian officials. The shipment provides a short-term lifeline to the island, which has faced acute fuel shortages, repeated nationwide blackouts, and mounting pressure on critical infrastructure.

Russia had a duty to support its “friends” in Cuba, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on March 30. “The issue was indeed raised in advance during contacts with American partners.”

Washington’s apparent shift marks a partial easing of a policy that had sharply curtailed Cuba’s access to fuel. Since January, the US has tightened restrictions by cutting off Venezuelan supplies — previously Havana’s main source of oil — and discouraging other exporters through the threat of tariffs. The restrictions exacerbated Cuba’s economic crisis, contributing to widespread power outages and disruptions to key public services.

Speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump said he had “no problem” with countries, including Russia, sending oil to Cuba, citing humanitarian considerations. “They have to survive,” he said, though he simultaneously reiterated his criticism of the Cuban government, calling it corrupt and suggesting that a single shipment would not materially alter the country’s downward economic trajectory. It remains unclear whether the decision represents a lasting policy shift or a temporary concession.

Cuban authorities, meanwhile, portrayed the arrival of the tanker as effectively breaking the blockade.

The impact of the fuel shortage has been severe. The World Health Organisation (WHO) warned last week that hospitals were struggling to maintain emergency and intensive care services due to lack of fuel. Blackouts have become more frequent and prolonged, with some areas experiencing repeated grid collapses. Fuel scarcity has also disrupted food distribution, transport and industrial activity, while contributing to rising prices and sporadic public unrest.

Cuba’s economic difficulties predate the latest crisis but have been significantly worsened by the loss of Venezuelan oil and tighter US pressure. The island has been grappling with its most severe downturn since the end of the Cold War, driven by declining tourism following the pandemic, structural inefficiencies and limited access to foreign currency.

The delivery of Russian crude offers only temporary relief. With domestic production minimal and limited other options, especially in light of the Hormuz crisis, Cuba remains heavily dependent on external politically-driven support. Negotiations between Havana and Washington are ongoing, but both sides have set out political conditions that make a broader agreement difficult.

For Russia, the shipment represents a geopolitical win but not a commercial one. But for Cuba, even a single cargo can help stabilise power generation and ease immediate shortages. But without a sustained resumption of supplies, the country’s energy crisis and its wider economic fallout will persist.