MOSCOW — Russia threw its weight behind Cuba on Tuesday, vowing unwavering solidarity with the Communist-run island after United States President Donald Trump declared he expects to have “the honor of taking Cuba” and that “I can do anything I want” with the neighboring country.
Without mentioning Trump by name, Russia’s foreign ministry expressed serious concern about escalating tensions surrounding what it cast as the “Island of Liberty,” condemning what it described as gross interference in the internal affairs of a sovereign state .
“Russia reaffirms its unwavering solidarity with the government and fraternal people of Cuba,” the ministry said in a statement . “We strongly condemn attempts of gross interference in the internal affairs of a sovereign state, intimidation and the use of illegal unilateral restrictive measures” .
Trump’s Escalating Rhetoric
Speaking to reporters at the White House on Monday, Trump declared that Cuba is a “very weakened nation right now” and suggested that US intervention could be imminent .
“You know, all my life I’ve been hearing about the United States and Cuba. When will the United States do it?” Trump said. “I do believe I’ll have the honor of taking Cuba … that’s a big honor” .
When a journalist sought clarification, Trump elaborated: “Taking Cuba in some form. I mean, whether I free it, take it. Think I could do anything I want with it. You want to know the truth” .
The threatening statements come even as Cuba and the United States have opened talks aimed at improving their largely adverse relations, which have reached one of their most contentious moments in the 67 years since Fidel Castro’s revolution . The New York Times reported that removing Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel from office is a key US objective in those bilateral negotiations .
Deepening Energy Crisis
Trump has dramatically stepped up economic pressure on Cuba, imposing an oil blockade that has crippled its already obsolete power generation system. The US halted the supply of discounted Venezuelan oil to the island after Trump’s raid on Caracas on January 3, which resulted in the overthrow of Venezuela’s leader Nicolás Maduro .
In addition, Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on any nation that exports oil to Cuba . These actions have resulted in severe fuel shortages on the island, leading to extensive electricity blackouts. On Monday, Cuba’s electric grid collapsed entirely, leaving the country of 10 million people without power .
Cuba’s ageing electricity generation system is in shambles, with daily power outages of up to 20 hours the norm in parts of the island, which lacks the fuel needed to generate power . No oil has been imported to the island since January 9, hitting the power sector while also forcing airlines to curtail flights, a blow to the all-important tourism sector .
Russia’s Pledge of Support
The Kremlin said it remains in contact with Cuban leadership and that Moscow is ready to provide all possible assistance .
“Today, Liberty Island is facing unprecedented challenges, which have become a direct result of the long-term trade, economic, financial, and more recently, the US energy embargo against Cuba,” Russia’s foreign ministry said .
Russia confirmed it provides and will continue “to provide Cuba with the necessary support, including financial support” . Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described Cuba as an “independent sovereign state that faces great economic difficulties due to a stifling embargo imposed by the outside world” .
Expressing that “major humanitarian problems” are unfolding in Cuba, Peskov said Russia is ready to provide “all possible assistance,” adding that “all these issues are being discussed with our Cuban counterparts” .
Historical Context
Cuba was a close ally of Moscow for decades after the Communist revolution in 1959 that brought Fidel Castro to power until the collapse of the Soviet Union. More recently, Russia has supported the island with both financing and material goods, viewing Cuba as a strategic partner in the Western Hemisphere.
Russia was deprived of another key ally when the US toppled Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro in January, though Moscow has benefited from the high oil prices triggered by the US and Israeli attack on Iran, a strategic partner of Russia.
Cuban Response
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel, 65, who succeeded the late Fidel Castro and his brother Raúl Castro as president in 2018, said on Friday he expects talks with the United States to take place “under the principles of equality and respect for the political systems of both countries, sovereignty and self-determination” .
Cuba has traditionally rejected any interference in its internal affairs and considers any proposals on that front a deal-breaker for any agreement . In a bid to relieve economic pressure, a senior Cuban economic official announced Monday that Cuban exiles would now be able to invest and own businesses there .
Domestic Unrest
The blackouts, as well as regular shortages of food, medicine and other basics, are spurring frustrations. In a rare moment of violence, demonstrators vandalized a provincial office of the Cuban Communist Party last weekend . It was part of a new trend of protests in which people bang pots and pans at night, at times yelling “Libertad,” or freedom .
Díaz-Canel acknowledged in an X post “the discontent our people feel because of the prolonged blackouts” after an outage in early March, but added: “What will never be comprehensible, justified or admitted is violence” .
Regional Implications
Observers say Russia’s response underscores enduring Kremlin-Havana ties dating back to the Cold War and reflects Moscow’s interest in countering US pressure in the Western Hemisphere . With both Washington and Moscow staking out opposing positions, Cuba finds itself once again at the center of great power rivalry—even as its people endure the worst economic crisis in decades.
