Russian President Vladimir Putin met Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla in the Kremlin on Wednesday and reaffirmed Moscow’s full support for the island nation amid heightened tensions and ongoing US sanctions.
Cuba, which previously relied heavily on Venezuelan oil for energy, has plunged into crisis since the capture of Nicolás Maduro by US forces on January 3. The island nation remains under a strict US oil embargo that prohibits oil-producing and processing countries from selling or supplying energy-related substances to Cuba.
During the meeting, Putin praised the longstanding “special relations” between the two countries.
“We have always supported Cuba in its fight for independence and for the right to develop in accordance with its own path. We have always supported the Cuban people,” he said.
Putin described US restrictions on Cuba’s economy as “completely unacceptable”, declaring that Russia opposes them “clearly and unequivocally".
According to the Kremlin statement, Rodríguez Parrilla thanked Russia for its “extraordinary and unwavering solidarity” and support during challenging times.
Last week, the Russian embassy in Havana confirmed that Moscow was preparing to send oil and petroleum products to Cuba to alleviate severe fuel shortages that have left major cities with piles of uncollected trash on the streets.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova condemned renewed US pressure on Havana as an attempt at “economic strangulation”, while China has also expressed support for Cuba’s “national sovereignty and security".
In January, US President Donald Trump declared the situation with Cuba a national emergency, accusing Havana of “hosting and harbouring transnational terrorist groups and malign actors”.
Trump cited Cuba’s relations with China, Russia, Iran, the Palestinian armed group Hamas, and the Lebanese-based Hezbollah as posing a national security threat, stating that economic pressure would force Cuban leadership to “come to us and want to make a deal.”
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