(VOVworld) – Cuban President Raul Castro and visiting Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on April 29^th affirmed their determination to enhance bilateral cooperation in various areas and support each other at international forums.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (l.) is received by his Cuban counterpart Bruno Rodriguez (r.) at the Foreign Ministry in Havana, after which the visitor met with President Raul Castro. (photo: EFE)

In a meeting with his Cuban counterpart, Bruno Rodriguez, Lavrov expressed Russia’s gratitude to Cuba for supporting Russia in the Ukrainian crisis. He said the US and EU sanctions on Russia relating to the Ukrainian crisis aimed to blame Russia for the prolonged instability there. Cuban Foreign Minister Rodriguez opposed the west’s sanctions and said NATO’s expansion to near Russian border is a serious threat to international peace and security. Cuba is the first leg in Lavrov’s tour of Latin American countries, Nicaragua, Peru, and Chile.