BREAKING Russia ‘prepared to assist Cuba’ as Trump warns he’ll have the ‘honour of taking’ nation
Russia has said it is “ready to help Cuba” as tensions escalate following remarks by Donald Trump suggesting he could “take” the island nation.
Moscow continues to maintain contacts with Havana at various levels and stands prepared to offer support, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Tuesday, March 17.
“The country is facing major economic difficulties due to the embargo,” RBC reports the Russian president’s press secretary as saying. He added the Russian side is ready to provide its Cuban counterparts with all possible assistance.
The comments come as Cuba faces a deepening internal crisis. The country’s national electric grid completely shut down on March 16, prompting state-owned Unión Eléctrica de Cuba to begin restoration procedures while the Ministry of Energy and Mines launched an investigation.
(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
The blackout occurred amid a worsening energy and economic situation. Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel announced on March 13 that the island had not received oil for more than three months and was relying instead on solar power, natural gas and thermal power plants.
The crisis has been exacerbated by rising geopolitical tensions. Earlier, Trump announced an energy blockade against Cuba, warning he would impose 100% tariffs on any country supplying the island with oil. He also expressed hope that he would have the “honor of seizing Cuba”.
The US president doubled down on those remarks during an exchange with reporters at the White House. Trump ranted that he had the right to do “anything” he wanted with Cuba, calling it a failed state and suggesting it could be his next target after Iran.
“I do believe I’ll be the honor of – have the honor of taking Cuba. That would be good. That’s a big honor,” he said.
When asked for clarification, Trump reiterated: “Taking Cuba. In some form, yeah. Taking Cuba.”
(Image: Getty Images)
“I mean, whether I free it, or take it… I think I can do anything I want with it, to tell you the truth,” he added.
His comments align with rhetoric from key allies, including Republican senator Lindsey Graham, who recently suggested Cuba could be next on Washington’s list of adversaries.
“Cuba’s next. They’re going to follow this communist dictatorship in Cuba. Their days are numbered,” Graham said earlier this month.
The remarks come as the US military campaign against Iran enters its third week with hundreds reported dead, including 13 American service members. The conflict has also driven global oil prices higher after Iranian forces disrupted traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for around 20% of the world’s oil supply.
Against this backdrop, Russia’s offer of support signals a potential widening of geopolitical divisions, as Cuba grapples with a severe domestic crisis while facing renewed external pressure from Washington.
