- i24news
- International
- Russia's Putin discusses unity against U.S. with Cuban leader
Russia's Putin discusses unity against U.S. with Cuban leader
'Russia and Cuba are subject to unfair and arbitrary sanctions that continue, and they have a common enemy'
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday welcomed his Cuban counterpart Miguel Diaz-Canel in Moscow, pledging unity against their common "enemy" - the United States.
The two leaders condemned Western sanctions against their countries as “unfair.”
"First of all it is taking place as both countries - Russia and Cuba - are subject to unfair and arbitrary sanctions that continue, and they have a common enemy, the Yankee empire that manipulates a large part of the world," Diaz-Canel said, noting that his visit to Moscow had a "profound" meaning.
Together with Putin, he unveiled a bronze monument to the Cuban revolutionary Fidel Castro, whom Putin praised as a "bright" man. The Russian leader also hailed Moscow's long-standing friendship with Cuba, adding that the two countries need to strengthen their cooperation further.
"We have always opposed various kinds of restrictions, embargoes, blockades, and so on," Putin told Diaz-Canel, who in turn expressed his support for Russia in its confrontation with the West amid the ongoing Ukraine war, saying Moscow should "stand firm."
Cuba has been under American sanctions for over six decades, while Moscow has been facing unprecedented Western sanctions after Putin invaded Ukraine in late February.
Diaz-Canel arrived in Russia on Saturday. He met with a number of Russian officials and concluded his visit with talks with Putin, which are reportedly aimed at getting Moscow’s support in boosting Cuba’s struggling energy sector.
Cuba is also seeking to attract more Russian tourists as their regular travel destinations are not available anymore due to the Ukraine war, which experts call the most serious East-West rift since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis.