The Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sergei Lavrov, met this Thursday behind closed doors with the newly reappointed president, Miguel Díaz-Canel, and his predecessor in office, Raúl Castro. Only the photos that the Cuban Presidency disseminated on its social networks emerged from this meeting, in which the three are seen relaxed and smiling.
Before, the Russian held a conversation with the Minister of Foreign Relations, Bruno Rodríguez, as reported by the Foreign Ministry in a brief Press release. In it, Rodríguez’s statements about the war in Ukraine are collected, which he calls a “conflict in Europe” and for which he blames “the expansion of NATO, which continues to this day towards the borders of Russia.”
The chancellor also criticized the “unilateral sanctions” and the “isolation policy” of international organizations towards Moscow, which “notably aggravates the current situation.”
The official note highlights that since August 2021, Russia has sent Cuba “donations” to face the covid-19 pandemic, “especially for the production of medicinal oxygen” and that last February, it donated 25,000 tons of flour to the island. wheat. Also, they continue, “through international organizations, it provided financing for the operation of the regional Cuban-Russian center for rescue and preparation of firefighters.”
Rodríguez “highly valued Russian cooperation” and Lavrov “ratified the interest in continuing to develop the ties between the two countries, particularly in the projects identified in different areas,” without specifying which ones.
The chancellor criticized the “unilateral sanctions” and the “isolation policy” of international organizations towards Moscow
On Twitter, as usual, the Foreign Minister explained that during the meeting they “addressed prioritized projects underway,” as well as “prospects for Russia’s effective participation in Cuba’s Economic-Social Development Plan until 2030.”
In addition, he announced that the Cuban Prime Minister, Manuel Marrero, will visit Russia in June to “deepen” the “traditional ties between the two States.”
In total, Lavrov has visited Cuba eight times, according to the official media, and, on this occasion, it is the last country on a tour that has taken him to Nicaragua, Venezuela and Brazil.
Prior to the meeting with Rodríguez, Lavrov laid a crown at the foot of the José Martí equestrian monument in the Parque 13 de Marzo in Old Havana.
Lavrov landed in Havana this Wednesdaywhen Díaz-Canel had just assumed the position of President of the Republic again.
The US embassy in Havana “received” the Russian official by illuminating its façade with blue and yellow lights, the colors of the Ukrainian flag. “Tonight, the US Embassy in Havana is lit up again in the colors of Ukraine to demonstrate our unwavering support for the Ukrainian people. Russia continues its brutal and illegal war of aggression against Ukraine. We will continue to use the diplomatic and economic tools to our reach to make sure that Russia’s malign influence and brutal aggression are recognized everywhere,” the embassy said on its social media.
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