Russia is now reportedly vowing to stand firmly behind Cuba as the Trump administration ramps up economic and political pressure on the island’s communist government, adding another layer of geopolitical tension close to America’s doorstep.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Thursday that Moscow would continue offering “active support” to Cuba during what she described as a period of intense pressure from Washington.
“We reaffirm our full solidarity with Cuba,” Zakharova said during a briefing, according to Interfax. “We strongly condemn any attempts at gross interference in the internal affairs of a sovereign state, intimidation and the use of unilateral restrictive measures, threats and blackmail.”
She added that Russia would continue providing “the most active support to the fraternal Cuban people during this extremely difficult period.”
The latest exchange comes as the Trump administration intensifies what it has described as a “maximum pressure” campaign against Havana, using sanctions and economic restrictions in hopes of forcing political change within the communist government.
Over the past six months, Cuba’s economy and power grid have come under mounting strain as the long-running U.S. embargo and additional restrictions have sharply reduced oil supplies reaching the island. Cuba has long relied heavily on Venezuelan oil, but those shipments largely stopped following the U.S. military operation that led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife in January.
According to Cuban officials, only one major oil shipment has reached the island since then. Cuban Energy Minister Vicente de la O Levy said last week that a 730,000-barrel delivery carried by a Russian-flagged tanker had already been exhausted.
“We have absolutely no fuel (oil), and absolutely no diesel,” de la O Levy said on Cuban state media.
The shortages have pushed Cuba’s already fragile electrical system to the edge. Officials say rolling blackouts have become increasingly common in Havana, at times lasting up to 22 hours per day. The worsening crisis has also been compounded by U.S. threats toward companies considering business ties with the Cuban government.
Zakharova sharply criticized what she called Washington’s attempts to tighten the “sanctions noose” around the island, describing the pressure campaign as evidence of America’s intolerance toward dissenting governments and “a cynical embodiment of a revived Monroe Doctrine.”
President Donald Trump has leaned into that rhetoric himself. Following the operation targeting Maduro, Trump referred to the action as part of the “Don-roe Doctrine,” a play on the historic Monroe Doctrine established under President James Monroe warning foreign powers against interfering in the Western Hemisphere.
Russia’s renewed backing of Cuba comes amid growing speculation about whether the island nation could face further confrontation with the United States. Tensions escalated further this week after the Justice Department announced indictments against former Cuban President Raúl Castro and five others.
Asked about Cuba after the charges were unveiled, Trump sought to downplay concerns about a wider conflict.
“We have Cuba on our mind,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “There won’t be escalation. I don’t think there needs to be.”
Still, the developments reflect a broader struggle playing out far beyond Cuba itself. As Russia and the United States continue clashing over influence abroad, ordinary Cubans are increasingly caught in the middle of sanctions, fuel shortages, and geopolitical maneuvering. The standoff also underscores how quickly foreign policy battles can spill into humanitarian and economic crises, even without direct military escalation.
