The United States government will allow a Russian oil tanker carrying about 730,000 barrels of crude oil to reach Cuba, easing pressure on the island as it faces a deepening energy crisis. The tanker, Anatoly Kolodkin, was nearing Cuba and could dock at the port of Matanzas if it remains on course.

President Donald Trump said the decision was intended to help Cuba endure severe fuel shortages, telling reporters, 'We don't mind having somebody get a boatload, because they need ... they have to survive.' He added that he had no objection to a country sending oil to Cuba at this time, including Russia.

The move marks a shift from earlier efforts by the Trump administration to restrict oil shipments to Cuba in order to pressure its government. Those measures included blocking Venezuelan oil exports to the island and threatening tariffs on third countries that supplied fuel.

The temporary easing of sanctions on some Russian oil shipments comes as the United States seeks to stabilize global energy markets following military strikes in Iran that disrupted shipping routes. For Cuba, the incoming oil could provide critical relief after months of fuel rationing and widespread power shortages.