Daijiworld Media Network - Washington

Washington, Feb 1: President Donald Trump on Saturday said the United States has begun talks with Cuba as his administration steps up pressure on the communist-run island by cutting off key oil supplies and tightening economic measures.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One while travelling to Florida, Trump said restrictions on oil from Venezuela and Mexico were aimed at pushing Cuba to the negotiating table. “We’re starting to talk to Cuba,” he said, without offering details on the nature or timeline of the outreach.

In recent weeks, the Trump administration has moved to block oil shipments to Cuba and signed an executive order imposing tariffs on goods from countries that supply oil to the island. The measures have increased pressure on Mexico, which became a major oil supplier to Cuba after US sanctions halted Venezuelan shipments.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum warned that such steps could trigger a humanitarian crisis, saying her government would look for alternatives to continue assisting Cuba. Trump, however, dismissed those concerns, saying Cuba would likely seek a deal with Washington. “It doesn’t have to be a humanitarian crisis. I think they probably would come to us and want to make a deal,” he said, adding that the US would be “kind”.

Trump also predicted that the Cuban government was ready to fall, though he did not elaborate on what concessions the US was seeking. The renewed focus on Cuba comes amid a broader push by the administration against countries it considers adversaries, following heightened pressure on Venezuela earlier this year.

Cuba, already facing severe fuel shortages and economic strain, has not officially commented on Trump’s remarks.