Forty-six years after the Cuban Missile Crisis, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said he wants “to rebuild our positions in Cuba” by strengthening economic cooperation with the island nation. The push could be a retort to America’s resolve to build a missile shield on Russia’s doorstep.


Moscow Times:

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Monday called for renewed ties with Cuba as Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin disclosed a deal to sell passenger jets to the island nation.

“We need to rebuild our positions in Cuba and other countries,” Putin said at his weekly Presidium meeting, Interfax reported.

Sechin, who visited Cuba last week, said the country had signed contracts for an unspecified number of Tu-204 airliners and plane engines and agreed to set up an assembly plant for KamAZ trucks.

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