Russia will continue supplying oil to Cuba, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday, reaffirming Moscow’s support for the fuel-short Caribbean nation following a recent large crude delivery.
Lavrov made the comments two weeks after Russia sent a tanker carrying around 700,000 barrels of oil to Cuba, a shipment that has helped ease acute fuel shortages on the island.
“We have dispatched the first tanker with 100,000 tons (700,000 barrels) of oil for Cuba,” Lavrov said during a briefing at the end of a visit to China.
He said the delivery would only provide temporary relief, adding that Russia expects to continue providing similar assistance going forward.
“But I have no doubt that we will continue providing such assistance,” Lavrov said, also suggesting that other partners could take part in cooperation.
Cuba, a long-standing ally of Russia, is facing severe energy shortages after disruptions to its main oil supply routes. The country produces less than a third of the oil it needs.
The United States had halted oil exports to Cuba from Venezuela, triggering shortages, while other suppliers have also stopped deliveries.
Washington allowed the recent Russian shipment on humanitarian grounds, but has said future oil cargoes will be reviewed on a “case-by-case” basis.
President Donald Trump has also threatened tariffs on countries sending crude to Cuba as part of pressure on Havana, while Russia has maintained that its deliveries are humanitarian support.
Lavrov also expressed hope that the United States would not return to what he described as times of “colonial wars.”
