Russia says ties with Cuba becoming stronger despite ‘turbulent geopolitical situation’

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) - Russian Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev said that his country’s ties with Cuba are becoming stronger despite the “turbulent geopolitical situation” surrounding the Caribbean nation.

Interior Minister spokesperson Irina Volk wrote on Telegram on Wednesday that Kolokoltsev expressed his opinion during a meeting with Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel in Havana, where he arrived for an official visit on Tuesday.

“The Russian minister expressed the opinion that, despite the current turbulent geopolitical situation, ties between Russia and Cuba are becoming increasingly stronger and more reliable,” Volk said.

She said that Kolokoltsev also expressed his condolences over the deaths of Cuban military officers during the US military operation in Venezuela on Jan. 3, which resulted in the capture of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, and emphasized Russia’s opposition to “interference in the internal affairs of other states.”

Volk further said that the minister expressed the opinion that Cuba's accession to BRICS as a partner state in 2025 bolstered the “coordination of our countries' interactions in this multilateral format.”

The spokesperson went on to say that Kolokoltsev expressed confidence that cooperation between Moscow and Havana will expand in all areas of mutual interest.

In a later statement, Volk said the Russian interior minister also held talks with his Cuban counterpart Lazaro Alberto Alvarez Casas.

Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin touched on ties with Cuba as he addressed a ceremony for the presentation of credentials by new ambassadors to Moscow, saying his country stands “in solidarity with their determination to defend their sovereignty and independence with all their might.”

The Cuban government had announced that 32 of its soldiers and police officers lost their lives during the US military operation in Venezuela.

Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump named Cuba among possible future targets days after the military operation in Venezuela, saying the Caribbean nation "is ready to fall."

Meanwhile, Diaz-Canel blamed Washington for Cuba's deep economic hardships, rejecting criticism and insisting Havana remains fully sovereign after decades of American pressure.