By María Josefina Arce

More than six decades have passed since the reestablishment of diplomatic relations between Cuba and Russia, which have been marked by respect, solidarity and fluid dialogue, but above all by friendship between the peoples of the two countries.

In this context, the visit to Russian territory by Cuban President Miguel Díaz Canel has taken place, the fourth since 2018 to that Eurasian nation, which demonstrates the degree of excellence of bilateral ties in all areas.

A new opportunity to dialogue with the Russian authorities, especially with his counterpart Vladimir Putin, who precisely assumed a new mandate at the head of his country, after being re-elected in the elections last March, with more than 87% of the votes. .

And an opportunity to review bilateral relations, mainly in economic, commercial and investment matters. Moscow is present in important projects in Cuban territory in the energy, industrial, financial, agricultural, telecommunications and transportation branches, among others.

During the twenty-first Session of the Intergovernmental Commission for Economic-Commercial and Scientific-Technical Collaboration, held last March in the Russian capital, the Cuban Vice Prime Minister, Ricardo Cabrisas, stressed that in recent years there has been a growing strengthening of the links between the two countries.

And along this path, Díaz Canel's participation, for the first time in person, in the Supreme Council of the Eurasian Economic Union, of which Russia is a founding member, is also a boost to the consolidation of bilateral relations.

Since 2020, Cuba has been an observer member of that bloc, also made up of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, with which the Caribbean nation also maintains important ties, to which, as the Cuban president stressed, his country attaches great importance, given the historical ties that unite them.

In his speech at the Summit for the tenth anniversary of that bloc, Díaz Canel emphasized Havana's will and interest in having greater participation in the mechanisms of the Union to move towards deeper integration.

A memorandum of understanding was already signed between both parties in 2018 to eliminate barriers to trade and investment.  And a year later, the first session of the Joint Commission was established and a business forum was held.

This is an historic visit by the Cuban president, as it also has as its context the parade and other activities for the 79th anniversary of the victory of the Great Patriotic War against fascism, in which millions of citizens of the then Soviet Union died.

Díaz Canel's trip to Russia contributes to continue opening paths for cooperation on mutually advantageous bases, but also for the strengthening of friendship and solidarity between the Cuban and Russian peoples.