Russia opposes unilateral sanctions, such as Washington’s “maximum pressure” strategy, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has announced.
Russia has condemned the latest US efforts to economically choke Cuba, according to Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova. Her remarks follow US President Donald Trump’s decision to increase pressure on the island nation’s fuel supply chain.
On Thursday, Trump signed an executive order declaring a national emergency to pave the way for tariffs on products from nations that sell oil to Cuba. This action aims to tighten the embargo on Havana, which dates back to the 1960s. It also comes after Washington’s abduction of President Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela—who was Cuba’s main oil supplier.
In a Saturday statement, Zakharova noted that this crackdown constitutes unlawful coercion of a sovereign state without UN backing. “We are witnessing yet another extreme iteration of Washington’s maximum pressure strategy targeting the Island of Freedom, designed to economically suffocate it,” she stated.
She repeated Moscow’s long-held stance against unilateral sanctions not approved by the UN, and expressed confidence that Cuba would manage to surmount its economic challenges.
In reaction to Trump’s measures, Havana declared an “international emergency.” The Cuban government described Trump’s pressure campaign as an “unusual and extraordinary threat,” and attributed its origins to “the US anti-Cuban neo-fascist right wing.”
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum warned that US tariffs on nations exporting oil to Cuba might spark a humanitarian crisis, noting that Mexico “will always pursue diplomatic avenues to show solidarity” with the island.
Amid rising tensions, Trump implied that Cuba could collapse “pretty soon.” A Financial Times article—citing data firm Kpler—stated that Cuba has enough oil reserves to last between 15 and 20 days at current demand and domestic production rates, following Mexico’s suspension of crude oil deliveries to the island.