MOSCOW: The Kremlin said on Monday that the fuel ​situation in Cuba, which has set out a wide-ranging plan to protect essential services and ration fuel, was critical ‌and that ‌US attempts ‌to “suffocate” ⁠Cuba ​were causing ‌many difficulties.

Cuba detailed its plans to weather the crisis on Friday as the communist-run government dug in ⁠its heels in defiance ‌of a US effort ‍to ‍cut off oil ‍supply to the Caribbean island.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on ​Monday that Russia was talking to Havana, a ⁠longtime partner, about how to solve the problems.

Peskov was answering a question about reported jet fuel shortages and whether that might affect Russian tourists wanting to leave Cuba.