Moscow/Havana. Cuba and Russia have started regular oil and fuel shipments agreed.
The bilateral agreement provides for the supply of 1.64 million tons of oil and fuel derivatives per year via the Russian state-owned Rosneft group, as announced by Prime Minister Manuel Marrero. He started an extended state visit to the Russian Federation last Tuesday and was also received by President Vladimir Putin.
“As you know, we have many problems, but we are aware that alternatives can be sought”, said Marrero at a reception at the Cuban Embassy in Moscow. He was confident “that new foreign exchange earnings and ways to stimulate the economy” would be found. “Our daily work is geared towards moving forward and evolving,” said Marrero.
At the meeting with Putin, he condemned the US blockade against the island. “We are aware of the illegal sanctions that Cuba has been suffering from for decades. But the Cuban people are overcoming them. For our part, we will do our utmost to ensure that our economic cooperation helps to overcome these externally imposed difficulties,” said is.
Marrero stressed for his part, that his country is taking “a resolute stance against the unilateral sanctions of the West” and against its “attempts to isolate Russia from international bodies and to spread a kind of Russophobia”.
Several working groups responsible for implementing previously agreed economic agreements met during the visit. “Our energy minister was here and together with representatives from Rosneft they did very serious work, in which we made progress on many issues,” said Cuba’s prime minister.
The latest deal is about “stable supplies” of oil. The country’s electricity mix is largely based on crude oil. In addition, it uses it to produce diesel, petrol and kerosene in its own refineries.
Cuba’s economy is currently in an energy and fuel crisis.
According to the Reuters news agency, Venezuela has recently increased its oil supplies from 45,250 to 58,100 barrels per day topped up. With the additional delivery of 1.64 million tons from Russia, a good part of the basic consumption in Cuba can be covered.
Marrero also attended a meeting of the Eurasian Economic Union in Sochi, where the island has had observer status since 2020. For the coming legislature, Cuba will take over the temporary presidency of the body.
On the fringes of the meeting, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin described Cuba as a “key partner” in the region. Relations between the two countries are characterized by “friendship, solidarity and mutual respect”. “It is very important for us to revitalize cooperation in order to increase trade and investment, with great importance attached to long-term large-scale projects,” , said is.
The Prime Minister was also a guest at this year’s Saint Petersburg Economic Forum.
Cuba and Russia recently signed numerous agreements, both countries speak of a “strategic partnership” (america21 reported). Among other things, Russia wants to boost Cuba’s tourism with half a million guests per year. New holiday resorts and hotel complexes are planned for this purpose. In addition, regular deliveries of grain have been agreed to secure basic supplies via the state reference book “Libreta”.
Other agreements provide for the establishment of joint ventures for the sugar industry, the opening of a vehicle factory for the commercial vehicle manufacturer UAZ and the integration of financial systems.
After the acceptance of Russian Mir cards at ATMs, which was introduced in March, Cuba intends to make ruble payments in restaurants and shops possible in the future, in order to promote tourism and business contacts between the two countries. In addition, Cuba granted Russian investors special conditions, such as leasing land for 30 years for usufruct and tariff relief.
2022 lag the volume of trade between the two countries reached $450 million in the first four months of this year, according to a Message the Russian agency Interfax to a ninefold increase in sales.