Sergey Lavrov stated on Friday that Russia is prepared to support Cuba in confronting the economic, commercial, and financial embargo imposed by the United States. The Russian diplomat expressed Moscow’s willingness to assist during a bilateral meeting with Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla. The talks took place in New Delhi on the sidelines of the BRICS foreign ministers’ meeting.
During the discussions, both officials engaged in a “friendly and constructive” dialogue, reviewing key issues on the bilateral agenda and exchanging views on regional and international matters. Both parties reaffirmed their opposition to unilateral sanctions imposed outside the framework of the United Nations Charter.
“The Russian side expressed its readiness to support Havana in its legitimate demand that the United States immediately end the commercial, economic, and financial blockade against the island, as well as remove Cuba from the U.S. list of ‘State Sponsors of Terrorism,’” the statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia said.
The statement added that, “amid an unprecedented escalation of the situation,” Moscow reaffirmed its willingness to provide Cuba with whatever political, diplomatic, and material support may be necessary.
The United States has maintained its economic and commercial embargo against Cuba for more than six decades. The sanctions, which have had a severe impact on the island’s economy, have recently been reinforced through additional unilateral coercive measures imposed by the White House.
Threat Against Cuba
On January 29, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order declaring a “national emergency” over what Washington described as an “unusual and extraordinary threat” allegedly posed by Cuba to U.S. national and regional security.
The order accused the Cuban government of aligning itself with “numerous hostile countries,” harboring “transnational terrorist groups,” and allowing the deployment on the island of “sophisticated military and intelligence capabilities” belonging to Russia and China.
Based on those claims, Washington announced tariffs targeting countries that sell oil to Cuba, along with threats of reprisals against nations acting against the White House executive order.
The move comes amid escalating tensions between Washington and Havana. Cuban authorities have consistently rejected the accusations and warned that the country will defend its territorial integrity. Cuba’s president responded by stating that “this new measure demonstrates the fascist, criminal, and genocidal nature of a clique that has hijacked the interests of the American people for purely personal purposes.”
Last week, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that Washington plans to impose additional sanctions on Cuba. The announcement followed another executive order signed by Trump on May 1 expanding restrictions against the Cuban government under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. (CubaSí)
