Russia says it ‘cannot simply betray’ Cuba, ‘abandon it to its fate’

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said his country "cannot simply betray" Cuba and "abandon it to its fate" during contacts with officials in Havana.

At a news conference at the Russian Embassy in the Cuban capital, Ryabkov described Moscow's relationship with Cuba as "special," saying the country holds significant political and emotional importance for the Russian people.

"For us, Cubans are brothers. And we cannot simply betray Cuba — that is completely out of the question, we cannot abandon it to its fate," Ryabkov said in remarks published by Russian media outlets overnight Thursday, including state news agency TASS.

He argued that "aggressiveness remains the foundation of US policy," adding that Cuba is a direct target of that approach.

Ryabkov also said Moscow has no intention of leaving its interests in the Western Hemisphere "no matter what they say in Washington," where he said officials are "obsessed with the idea of ousting Russia, as well as China, from the region."

On his talks in Havana, Ryabkov said economic issues were among the main topics, noting that while ensuring the island's energy security is a priority, it is too early to outline next steps.

"It's common knowledge that we're not limiting ourselves to delivering the oil shipment that already arrived on the island on the tanker Anatoly Kolodkin," he said.

He added that practical cooperation, including supplying hydrocarbons and "stabilizing its energy system," is particularly important given the island's current situation amid the US blockade.

Ryabkov was received in Havana on Thursday by Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel, Deputy Prime Minister Oscar Perez-Oliva Fraga, and Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez, and the sides exchanged views on bilateral, regional, and international issues, according to a Russian Foreign Ministry statement Friday.