US allows Russian oil tanker to reach Cuba amid blockade as Trump says island ‘has to survive’

close Video Trump warns 'Cuba is next' ... 'pretend I didn't say that' President Donald Trump signaled during a speech Friday in Miami Beach that the U.S. will shift its focus to Cuba after the war with Iran. (Pool) NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Hören Sie sich diesen Artikel an 2 Min The U.S. government will allow a Russian tanker full of crude oil to reach Cuba, effectively easing a blockade that has pushed the island into an energy crisis, according to a report. The Russian-flagged tanker, the Anatoly Kolodkin, was headed for Cuba on Sunday, carrying an estimated 730,000 barrels of oil, The New York Times reported, citing a U.S. official who had been briefed on the matter. The tanker Anatoly ⁠Kolodkin was just off the eastern tip of Cuba on Sunday, ship tracking data showed. "We have a tanker out there. We don’t mind having somebody get a boatload, because they need … they have to survive," President Donald Trump told reporters on Sunday when asked about the report. Cuba'S ENTIRE ELECTRICAL GRID COLLAPSES, LEAVING WHOLE ISLAND WITHOUT POWER The U.S. government will allow a Russian tanker full of crude oil to reach Cuba. (Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters) "If a country wants to send some oil into Cuba right now, I have no problem whether it’s Russia or not," he added. Trump had sought to restrict oil shipments to Cuba in an effort to pressure its government. The U.S. government has temporarily eased some sanctions on Russian oil shipments to help stabilize global energy markets amid disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz following U.S. and Israeli military strikes on Iran that began last month. CUBAN OFFICIAL REVEALS MILITARY 'PREPARING' FOR CONFLICT AFTER TRUMP CONSIDERS 'TAKING' ISLAND President Donald Trump had sought to restrict oil shipments to Cuba in an effort to pressure its government. (Mark Schiefelbein/AP Photo) The Anatoly Kolodkin, which departed from Primorsk, Russia, could soon dock at the Matanzas port in Cuba if it remains on its current path, according to tracking services MarineTraffic and LSEG. The oil would provide significant relief to Cuba, where President Miguel Díaz-Canel has said fuel shortages have persisted for months, forcing strict gas rationing and deepening the island’s energy crisis. The U.S. capture of then-Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro in January stripped a key Cuban ally who had been providing oil to the island on favorable terms. Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel said fuel shortages have persisted for months. (Pablo Porciuncula/AFP via Getty Images) The Trump administration then blocked all Venezuelan oil shipments to Cuba and vowed to impose punitive tariffs on any third country that supplied shipments to the island, forcing Mexico to stop its exports to Cuba. Another ship, the Hong Kong-flagged Sea Horse, was also carrying about 200,000 barrels of Russian fuel to Cuba, but was rerouted to Venezuela. Fox News' Antisemitism Exposed" newsletter brings you stories on the rising anti-Jewish prejudice across the U.S. and the world." By entering your email and clicking the Subscribe button, you agree to the Fox News and Terms of Use, and agree to receive content and promotional communications from Fox News. You understand that you can opt-out at any time. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter!