The Russian Stance on Cuban Military Bases

On Thursday, former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev explained that the allegations of Moscow sending troops and hardware to Cuba would destroy the island nation’s hopes of establishing a normal relationship with Washington.

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On Thursday, Medvedev, the actual Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of Russia, exposed that the Latin American country is a close partner of Moscow, saying that both are sovereign nations who are “trying to escape from isolation and reestablish normal relations with the U.S. to some extent.”

“We can’t deploy anything there,” he noted. “Even if, as is the case in Cuba, this is only because of their geopolitical position, their own national interests.” He added that there shouldn’t even be a discussion on the matter, because it would “provoke tension in the world.”

Medvedev insisted that Russia is not looking for a war and that security negotiations are the only way to de-escalate tensions between Russia and NATO, the US-led military bloc, said referring to the current tensions around Ukraine. Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov stated previously that Moscow would not issue the possibility of building military infrastructure in Cuba or Venezuela.

Ryabkov said that this decision would depend on “the actions of our American colleagues.”

Jake Sullivan, U.S National Security Advisor, commented that Russian military activity in Latin American countries had not been a relevant issue for discussion at the security talks.

Sullivan noted that the U.S. government “decisively” if it happens.