Trump says he can do ‘anything I want’ with Cuba

Russia said it had unwavering solidarity with Cuba on Tuesday, after United States President Donald Trump said he expected to have the honour of “taking ​Cuba” and that “I can do anything I want” with the Communist-run ‌island republic.

Without mentioning Trump by name, Russia’s foreign ministry expressed serious concern about the escalation of tension around what it cast as the “Island of Liberty”.

“Russia reaffirms its unwavering solidarity with ​the government and fraternal people of Cuba,” the ministry said.

“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 has ​stepped up economic pressure on Cuba, imposing an oil blockade that has crippled ​its already obsolete power generation system.

The Kremlin said it was in ‌contact ⁠with Cuban leadership and that Moscow was 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 said ⁠it provided and would continue “to provide Cuba with the necessary support, including financial support”.

Russia was deprived of an ally when ​the US toppled Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, though Russia ​has benefited ⁠from the high oil prices triggered by the US and Israeli attack on Iran, a strategic partner of Moscow.

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.

Read More: Israel claims Iran’s national security chief Ali Larijani ‘eliminated’