Russia says it supports Cuba after Trump says he will 'take' the Communist republic
The Straits Times
MOSCOW, March 17 - Russia said it had unwavering solidarity with Cuba on Tuesday, after U.S. President Donald Trump said he expected to have the honour of \"taking Cuba\" and that \"I can do anything I want\" with the Communist-run island republic. Read more at straitstimes.com.
MOSCOW, March 17 - Russia said it had unwavering solidarity with Cuba on Tuesday, after U.S. President Donald Trump said he expected to have the honour of "taking Cuba" and that "I can do anything I want" with the Communist-run island republic.
Without mentioning Trump by name, Russia's foreign ministry expressed serious concern about the escalation of tension around what it cast as the "Island of Liberty".
"Russia reaffirms its unwavering solidarity with the government and fraternal people of Cuba," the ministry said.
"We strongly condemn attempts of gross interference in the internal affairs of a sovereign state, intimidation and the use of illegal unilateral restrictive measures."
Trump has stepped up economic pressure on Cuba, imposing an oil blockade that has crippled its already obsolete power generation system.
The New York Times reported that removing Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel from office was a key U.S. objective. Citing four people familiar with the talks, the Times said the Americans have signalled to Cuban negotiators that Diaz-Canel must go but are leaving the next steps up to the Cubans.

BRUSSELS, March 17 - A Brussels court on Tuesday ordered a former high-profile Belgian diplomat to stand trial over the assassination of Patrice Lumumba, the first prime minister of Congo, in a final attempt to shed light on the still murky circumstances surrounding his murder. Read more at straitstimes.com.

WASHINGTON, March 17 - The head of the National Counterterrorism Center resigned on Tuesday, becoming the first and most senior member of U.S. President Donald Trump's administration to resign over the war in Iran, saying Tehran posed no imminent threat to the United States. Read more at straitstimes.com.











