EFE (via 14ymedio), Havana/Moscow, 29 December 2022 –The presidents of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel, and Russia, Vladimir Putin, spoke on Wednesday about bilateral collaboration in the areas of energy and industry, Cuban official media reported.
During the dialogue — by telephone — Putin and Díaz-Canel expressed the intention to continue strengthening “in an integral way the Russian-Cuban strategic partnership,” said a statement from the Russian Government in Moscow, quoted by the state agency of the Isla Prensa Latina.
As a result of the conversation, the two presidents “agreed to intensify contacts at various levels,” the Kremlin added. “Special attention was paid to mutually beneficial projects in energy, industry and other sectors,” the official note states.
In addition to expressing his willingness to continue strengthening bilateral strategic cooperation, Putin congratulated Díaz-Canel in advance on the “Day of Liberation in Cuba,” on January 1.
The Cuban president also reported the exchange with the Russian ruler on his Twitter profile.
“I had a fraternal telephone exchange with President Vladimir Putin. We reviewed the excellent results of our recent visit to Russia and ratified the common will to deepen political dialogue and economic, commercial, financial and cooperation ties,” Díaz-Canel said.
Both statesmen confirmed their willingness to implement the agreements reached during Díaz-Canel’s visit to the Russian capital in November.
During his trip to Moscow, seeking help to overcome the energy crisis in which the Island is submerged due to the continuous blackouts, the Cuban president stressed that political relations “are excellent.”
“Cuba is willing to respect and comply with its financial obligations to Russia as soon as the economic situation is somewhat alleviated and that is possible,” he promised, referring to the 2.3 billion dollars in credits that the Island received between 2006 and 2019.
He also said that there are “wide agreements” on the main issues of the international agenda and that the “full development” of economic-commercial ties between the two countries remains pending.
Putin, for his part, attacked the sanctions and embargoes imposed on his country and the Island by the “Yankee empire,” and paid tribute to the late Fidel Castro with a statue in the heart of Moscow.
Translated by Regina Anavy
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