by María Josefina Arce
Fraternal, intimate and indestructible are the ties that bind Cuba and Russia, two nations that for decades have established a close strategic cooperation in various fields and have always supported each other.
The current visit of Cuban President Miguel Díaz Canel to Russia has a special significance, coming as it does on the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two states.
The Cuban president had an intense agenda, which included his participation in the parade commemorating the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War against fascism, at the invitation of his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.
This is Diaz Canel's fifth trip to the Eurasian nation and an opportune moment to continue consolidating the high level of political dialogue and to strengthen and expand economic, commercial, financial and cooperation ties.
Havana and Moscow are working to develop mutually beneficial joint projects in the fields of energy, industry and tourism, among others.
In this regard, the 22nd session of the Russian-Cuban intergovernmental commission on economic, trade and scientific-technical cooperation was held in the Cuban capital in April last year, where future actions were discussed on the basis of the development plans of both countries.
Biotechnology is one of the branches of a recognized potential for bilateral cooperation and of interest to both parties, as expressed in the meetings between Diaz Canel and Putin.
Precisely, during his stay in Russian territory, the Cuban president visited two of the main Russian companies dedicated to research and production of innovative medicines in the city of St. Petersburg, and expressed the great possibilities for an exchange between those institutions and the business group BioCubaFarma.
Cuba is a priority partner of Russia. Its accession to the BRICS, in January this year, of which the Eurasian nation is a member, opens the way for further cooperation.
It should be noted that the Russian people have always accompanied the Cuban people in its struggle against the U.S. blockade and its solidarity has been evident throughout all these years.
Likewise, it rejects the inclusion of the Greater of the Antilles in the illegal list of the United States of America of countries allegedly sponsoring terrorism, which intensifies the inhuman economic siege.
For more than six decades Cuba and Russia have marched together, supporting each other in difficult times. The strong friendship between the two peoples has withstood time and geographical distance.
