Washington: The White House said on Monday that U.S. policy toward the Cuba remains unchanged, even after green lighting a sanctioned Russian tanker to deliver fuel on humanitarian grounds.
"This is not a policy change. There has not been a formal change in sanctions policy," Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters. Decisions like this will be handled case by case, she said, noting President Donald Trump stated Sunday that he has "no problem" with countries like Russia sending oil to Cuba right now to meet humanitarian needs.
The U.S. still reserves the right to seize violating vessels. Since toppling Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on January 3, the U.S. has cut off Venezuela's oil exports to Cuba and threatened tariffs on other suppliers.
Last week, the U.S. embassy in Havana received a fuel shipment after Cuban assurances it would comply with Vienna Convention obligations on diplomatic relations. This followed reports that Cuba had denied the embassy's request for diesel amid widespread shortages.
Cuba hasn't seen an oil tanker in three months, President Miguel Díaz-Canel said, triggering gasoline rationing, blackouts, and heightened risks for vulnerable groups like child cancer patients. Russia confirmed Monday its tanker arrived carrying 100,000 metric tons of crude.
