The Cuban Chancellor, Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, arrived in Moscow in recent hours for an official visit that culminates in a key meeting with the Russian president, Vladímir Putin, amid the deep energy crisis facing Cuba.
The Kremlin confirmed that the meeting will take place this Wednesday at the Kremlin.
The Russian presidential spokesman, Dmitri Peskov, emphasized the significance of the meeting in the current context for the island.
"The meeting holds special significance given the difficult times our friendly and sister Cuba is experiencing," he stated during his daily telephone press conference, as reported by the agency EFE.
Peskov insisted that Moscow maintains its historical stance against U.S. sanctions. "Russia has consistently spoken out against the blockade of the island, just like many other countries in the world," he stated.
“We have relations with Cuba, and we highly value these relationships. We intend to continue developing them and, of course, to keep providing the necessary assistance to our friends in these difficult times,” he added.
Unannounced visit and official silence in Havana
Rodríguez's presence in Moscow had not been previously announced by the Cuban authorities, nor has it been documented by official media outlets until now.
As of the closure of this note, neither the official profile of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cuba (MINREX) on social media, nor the accounts of the Foreign Minister himself or the Presidency of Cuba have reported on Bruno Rodríguez's arrival in Russia, despite the fact that the minister has already held several meetings throughout the day.
The latest post from the chancellor and MINREX—up to the publication of this note—extends congratulations to Muslims in Cuba and around the world for the beginning of Ramadan on February 18.
Only the MINREX website has published a brief press release regarding Bruno Rodríguez's first meeting in Moscow this Wednesday.
The discreet manner in which the Cuban government has handled the visit is noteworthy, especially considering it is a high-level meeting with the Russian leader at a moment of significant economic and geopolitical sensitivity for the island.
Meeting in the State Duma
Before his meeting with Putin, Bruno Rodríguez began his agenda in Moscow with a meeting at the headquarters of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of Russia.
As a special envoy of the Cuban government, he was received by Iván Melnikov, the first vice president of the parliamentary body.
According to a later report from MINREX, both parties discussed "the excellent state of bilateral relations" and the high level of inter-parliamentary cooperation between the National Assembly of People's Power and the Russian Duma.
Rodríguez expressed gratitude for the support of the Russian Federation in light of the economic challenges facing the island, in a context that Havana attributes to the intensification of U.S. policy.
For his part, Melnikov conveyed greetings to Army General Raúl Castro, the leader Miguel Díaz-Canel, and the President of the Cuban Parliament, Esteban Lazo.
Moscow dismisses any connection with negotiations regarding Ukraine
In his statements this Wednesday, Dimitri Peskov rejected the idea that strengthening cooperation with Cuba could affect the ongoing negotiations regarding Ukraine, which are being mediated by the United States and continue this Wednesday in Geneva.
"We do not believe that these are related matters," Peskov noted, referring to the warnings of new tariffs issued by U.S. President Donald Trump at the end of January.
From the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, spokesperson Maria Zakharova reiterated the message of political support for Havana.
"We express our strong solidarity with Havana in the face of unprecedented external pressure, both economic and coercive," he declared at a press conference.
Zajárova recalled that Cuba has been living for almost seventy years "under conditions of an illegitimate, inhumane, economic, commercial, and financial blockade from the United States"; and asserted that this pressure "has been intensified following Washington's military actions in Venezuela on January 3rd of this year."
Russian media highlighted that the Putin-Rodríguez meeting is part of a broader strategy by the Kremlin to consolidate alliances outside the Western axis.
"It is evident that this meeting is particularly significant given the difficult period our friend and brother country is going through," Peskov reiterated.
Zajárova, for her part, described Cuba as a "close friend and strategic partner of Russia" and emphasized a "solid and proven relationship of mutual respect and support for almost seven decades."
Energy and geopolitics
The background of the meeting between Putin and Rodríguez is primarily energy-related, but it is also political.
Cuba is going through one of its most critical moments in terms of electricity generation and fuel supply in recent years, facing prolonged blackouts and partial shutdowns of productive sectors.
The shortage has also affected foreign companies based in the country and has even forced Russian airlines to suspend flights to Havana and repatriate thousands of tourists due to a lack of fuel.
In that context, Moscow recently announced that it is in contact with Cuban authorities and plans to supply oil to the Cuban regime, something that hasn't happened since the shipment of 100,000 tons of crude in February 2025.
The eventual resumption of those shipments could serve as a lifeline for the regime amidst an energy crisis that has forced contingency plans with minimal services in hospitals, remote work in state offices, and extreme rationing at gas stations.
The meeting in the Kremlin, described by Moscow as "of special importance," is shaping up to be the central moment in Rodríguez's agenda in Russia and a signal of the strategic weight both parties assign to their bilateral relationship in a global context characterized by confrontation between Moscow and the West.
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