Lavrov Arrives in Havana to Promote Russia-Cuba Cooperation

On Wednesday night, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrived in Havana for talks that will focus on promoting political, economic, educational and cultural cooperation. Previously, he visited Brazil, Venezuela and Nicaragua.

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On Thursday, he is expected to meet with President Miguel Diaz-Canel, whom the Cuban parliament yesterday re-elected for a second five-year term.

"Russia-Cuba relations are excellent since both countries give them priority. They are also based on their peoples' traditional friendship ties," the Granma newspaper commented.

High-level political dialogue "has been valuable, friendly and aimed at promoting bilateral relations in all fields of mutual interest and benefit," it added. 

Currently, Russia is one of Cuba's top ten trading partners, and both governments define their partnership as "strategic."

In 2022, Diaz-Canel traveled to Russia to hold a meeting with President Vladimir Putin, with whom he analyzed the development prospects of the Russian-Cuban strategic association.

In recent months, the Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev, the Cuba-Russia Business Council President Titov Yurievich, and Rosneft Director Igor Sechin have traveled to this Caribbean country.

On his Latin America tour, Lavrov has met with presidents Lula da Silva (Brazil), Daniel Ortega (Nicaragua), and Nicolas Maduro (Venezuela).

During his stay in Caracas, he also spoke with Saint Vincent & the Grenadines Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves and the Bolivian Foreign Affairs Minister Rogelio Mayta.