Related videos:
Vladimir Putin admitted this Thursday that Moscow and Washington have held talks regarding a possible military operation in Cuba similar to the one carried out in Venezuela earlier this year, in the most direct statement so far about a potential intervention scenario on the island.
“Were there contacts with the U.S. Administration regarding Cuba? Yes, there were,” said the Russian president before representatives of the world's major news agencies, including EFE, during a meeting held at the Constantine Palace, on the outskirts of Saint Petersburg, as part of the International Economic Forum.
Putin's reference points directly to the so-called "Operation Absolute Resolution," through which the U.S. captured Nicolás Maduro on January 3, 2026, and transported him to New York to face federal charges of drug trafficking and narco-terrorism, a precedent that has since hovered over the relationship between Washington and Havana.
The Kremlin's admission comes amid a sustained escalation. Since January 2026, the Trump administration has imposed more than 240 sanctions against Cuba, reinstated the island on the list of state sponsors of terrorism, intercepted at least seven oil tankers destined for Havana, and deployed the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier in the Caribbean on May 20 as part of Operation Southern Seas 2026.
The St. Petersburg forum has been the stage for a series of Russian positions in the days leading up to it.
According to EFE, Lavrov also emphasized Raúl Castro's political career and described him as a reference figure for Cuba, stating that for "millions of people around the world, he is a symbol of stoicism, courage, patriotism, and unwavering will."
In addition to stating that Raúl Castro is an example of "selfless service to the homeland, to his people, and to the ideals of the Cuban Revolution," he emphasized that for "millions of people around the world, he is a symbol of stoicism, courage, patriotism, and unwavering will."
On Wednesday as well, the spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, rejected the idea that Washington could influence the ties between Moscow and Havana and requested not to perceive the relationship as a geopolitical "triangle": "No one can influence the interaction between countries," she stated.
On Monday, Deputy Foreign Minister Serguéi Riabkov had already confirmed that Cuba is on the agenda of the Moscow-Washington bilateral contacts, although he warned that the approaches "differ radically."
Russia has intensified its support for the Cuban regime in parallel with U.S. pressure. In March, it sent a tanker with 100,000 tons of crude oil to Havana, in October 2025 Putin formalized a military cooperation agreement with Cuba ratified by the Duma, and in May 2026 both countries were negotiating new areas of military collaboration.
The dialogue between Cuba and the U.S. remains stalled. The Cuban Deputy Minister Josefina Vidal acknowledged at the end of May that the channel with Washington "is open" but without "much progress," while Secretary of State Marco Rubio admitted that he does not see significant advances either.
Washington conditions any agreement on the Cuban regime severing its security ties with Russia and China, closing listening stations, and releasing political prisoners—conditions that Havana rejects, which keeps any negotiated resolution stalled.
Filed under: