United States blocks Cuba from importing Russian oil

The US Treasury Department has expanded its list of countries barred from receiving Russian oil, targeting Cuba after a tanker carrying the fuel seemed destined for the island, which remains under a US naval blockade, Bloomberg reports.

According to a general license issued on March 19, the Treasury placed several nations—including Iran, North Korea, and new Russian regions such as Crimea—on the list of jurisdictions prohibited from engaging in transactions involving the sale, delivery, or offloading of crude oil or petroleum products originating from Russia.

This move updates a previous license issued the prior week, following Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s announcement that Russian oil loaded onto tankers on or before March 12 could still be sold. The measure aims to ease strains on global oil markets caused by the US-Israel conflict with Iran.

Cuba is facing a severe fuel shortage. Since January 9, the country has not received any oil shipments: the last delivery came from Mexico, but subsequent supplies were halted due to pressure from Washington.

By Jeyhun Aghazada