Cuban FM Seeks Russian Aid for Energy Crisis

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez traveled to Moscow on Wednesday to discuss the island's deepening energy crisis amid a tightening U.S. oil embargo, holding talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and preparing to meet President Vladimir Putin later in the day.

The visit comes as Cuba grapples with widespread blackouts and acute fuel shortages that have crippled power plants and refineries. The disruptions stem from restrictions imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump, who threatened tariffs on any country selling oil to Cuba. In January, Venezuela, a primary supplier, halted crude exports after U.S. forces captured then-President Nicolás Maduro in a predawn raid and transported him to New York to face drug trafficking charges. Mexico followed suit, suspending its shipments in response to the tariff warnings. These cutoffs have left Cuba struggling to secure alternative sources, exacerbating daily hardships for residents and businesses.

During the meeting with Rodriguez, Lavrov called on the United States to abandon plans for a naval blockade and pursue negotiations instead. "Together with most members of the global community, we are calling on the U.S. to show...