Regarding the Russian oil tanker heading to Cuba, former ambassadors, Russia observers and people close to the White House suggest the tanker is a provocation designed to force disproportionate US response while US is consumed elsewhere, Politico reports

The reported movement of a Russian oil tanker to Cuba is perceived as a calculated provocation aimed at eliciting a disproportionate response from the U.S., which may have implications for U.S.-Russian relations. This situation could influence market sentiment across various asset classes, particularly commodities like oil and gold, as well as currencies such as the USD and EUR, depending on how the U.S. reacts in its current geopolitical context.