RUSSIA urged the United States to “show common sense” and abandon plans for a sea blockade of Cuba today.

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov issued the call after meeting Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez, in Moscow for emergency talks about the intensifying illegal US blockade.

Mr Rodriguez was due to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin after the Morning Star went to press, with intense speculation about whether and how Russia might deliver assistance to Cuba.

US President Donald Trump ordered the seizure of a Venezuelan tanker delivering oil to Cuba in December, and in January announced any country supplying Cuba with oil would face punitive sanctions, halting deliveries from its main suppliers, Venezuela and Mexico.

Russia’s Havana embassy said last week Moscow planned to deliver oil itself, but details have yet to emerge.

Cuba has already run out of jet fuel to refuel aircraft, hitting tourism, though Mexico has offered itself as a refuelling stop for Cuba-bound flights. Cuban transport, healthcare and electricity supply are hit hard by the energy blockade.