Cuba – Russia Now and Then

Years after the collapse of the Soviet Union and the associated termination of cooperation and a strong alliance between Cuba and Russia, both states are now working overtime to revive the relationship which once brought the world to the brink of nuclear war when the Soviet Union covertly installed nuclear missiles on the Caribbean island. It is hardly surprising that Russia’s attempts to revive its relationship with the former ally are being closely monitored by the U.S., seeing that Russia and Cuba have a shared legacy and due to Cuba’s proximity to Washington. Presently, however, Russia is not attempting to develop a relationship based on ideological confrontation, but rather one based on economic pragmatism.

An Overview of Cuban Relations with Russia
Russia and Cuba ties originated many decades prior to Fidel Castro taking power. After Cuba’s independence in 1902, the Russian Empire initiated diplomatic relations with Cuba. After the Russian Revolution in 1917, Cuba put the relationship on hold until1943, when Russia was a major belligerent in the war against Nazi Germany. In 1952, Batista Cuba again broke off its relationship with Moscow due to Russia’s communist affiliation. During this period and then after the Cuban Revolution in 1959 and even after Fidel Castro’s proud communist cry, Cuba was not viewed by Moscow as being of particular importance to Russia. Soviet leadership realized that the island was squarely located in the U.S. sphere of influence and would be difficult to defend if challenged by the U.S.

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This analysis was prepared by COHA Research Associate Evgenij Haperskij