Meeting with Vice President of Cuba Salvador Valdés Mesa

Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko met with Vice President of Cuba Salvador Valdés Mesa in Astana on 29 May ahead of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council meeting.

“Dear friend, we are well aware of what is happening around the country friendly to us. But you must know that you have many friends in the world, including Belarus,” the Belarusian leader told the Cuban vice President. “Today we are ready to do everything for Cuba that we are capable of and that the situation allows. At the very least, we will faithfully fulfill everything we agreed upon with you, and these are not memoranda of intent but concrete contracts already signed. If you have any additional proposals, we are ready to consider them immediately and respond in accordance with the situation as it stands today, and with the capabilities we can implement. During our meeting we will discuss all these issues.”

In turn, Salvador Valdés Mesa conveyed greetings to Aleksandr Lukashenko from Army General Raúl Castro and President Miguel Díaz‑Canel Bermúdez of Cuba.

“Please do not forget to extend my warmest greetings and best wishes to them,” the Belarusian leader noted.

“We would like to thank you for your statements made to the American journalist regarding the situation around our country [referring to Aleksandr Lukashenko’s interview with RT journalist Rick Sanchez]. We thank you for your readiness to support our country in such a difficult situation,” Salvador Valdés Mesa said.

Speaking about the challenging situation Cuba is currently going through, the vice President noted that President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez was unable to personally attend the Eurasian Economic Forum and the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council. “The situation is truly difficult. We are going through an economic war, there is an energy blockade,” Salvador Valdés Mesa emphasized.