Russia and Cuba Deepen Security Ties as Kolokoltsev Meets Díaz-Canel in Havana
The visit highlighted plans for closer law-enforcement work, with coordination routed through BRICS.
Overview
- Russia’s interior minister met President Miguel Díaz-Canel and Interior Minister Lázaro Álvarez Casas in Havana on January 20–21.
- Official readouts from both sides said the relationship is strengthening despite Western sanctions and wider geopolitical turbulence.
- Talks focused on anti-crime cooperation, including counter-narcotics and efforts against extremist ideology, with an invitation to a Moscow conference on extremism in September 2026.
- Kolokoltsev offered condolences for Cuban security personnel reportedly killed in a U.S. strike on Venezuela, echoing Russia’s stance against external interference.
- Kolokoltsev pointed to Cuba’s BRICS partner status since January 2025 as reinforcing multilateral coordination with Moscow.