Photo: Spokesman Review

Mr. Diaz-Canel said Russia is the first country he has visited since he was elected Cuban President, an indication of his diplomatic priorities. He said Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev's visit to Cuba earlier this month "taught the world a lesson - that Russia's and Cuba's positions remain unchanged under US threats. He added that new cooperation opportunities have been offered to Cuban and Russian enterprises.

President Putin congratulated Mr. Diaz-Canel on his new position and said Russia and Cuba are maintaining regular high level exchanges. He said Russia has always had a special affinity for Cuba’s independent stance.