CANADA said on Monday that it intends to send humanitarian aid to Cuba.

This comes as the United States continues to enforce its illegal intensified blockade on the Caribbean island, choking off oil and other essential supplies. 

Canada’s Foreign Minister Anita Anand said: “We are preparing a plan to assist. We are ‌not prepared at this point ⁠to provide any further details of an announcement.” 

The United Nations has warned that if Cuba’s energy needs are not met, it could cause a massive humanitarian crisis.

Canada said last week it ​was ​monitoring the situation in Cuba and was ​concerned about “the increasing risk of a ‌ humanitarian crisis” there.

Washington and Ottawa have experienced heightened tensions since Donald Trump returned to the White House just over a year ago.

President Trump’s tariff war, his threats towards Greenland and Canadian Prime Minister ​Mark Carney’s remarks that “middle powers” should act together ​to avoid being victimised by US hegemony, have all added to the friction.

But President Trump has been emboldened to add to the six decades of illegal sanctions against Cuba since taking control of Venezuela’s oil supply in its unprovoked attack on January 3.

Some 100 people were killed and the country’s President Nicolas Maduro and first lady Cilia Flores were kidnapped during the US raid.