Cubans study oil tanker diplomacy for signs of progress in secret talks with US

A Russian oil tanker carrying 700,000 barrels of crude docked at Cuba's Matanzas terminal on Tuesday, marking an apparent shift in Trump's Cuba oil blockade that he had vowed to enforce with "zero" tolerance in January. The president's reversal—allowing the sanctioned Anatoly Kolodkin to pass through after recently stating he had "no problem" with countries sending oil to Cuba—has prompted Cuban officials to analyze whether the move signals progress in secret negotiations with the White House. The permit breach suggests potential diplomatic flexibility on Cuba policy, with observers noting parallels to Trump's past approach toward Venezuela sanctions. The gesture could indicate either preliminary agreement on undisclosed terms or a calculated signal from the administration that hardline restrictions are negotiable.