Moscow, Russia.- The chairman of the International Affairs Committee of the Federation Council (Senate) of Russia, Grigori Karasin, said that his country and Cuba are carrying out cooperation on all fields, including interregional ones.

‘Cuba is Russia’s strategic ally. Our countries have developed historical alliances, relations of trust,’ Karasin noted during a meeting with Havana’s ambassador to Moscow, Julio Garmendia, that was held yesterday, the national parliament website reported.

He recalled that in early June, the Russian Senate approved an annual declaration on the need to put an end to the US economic blockade against Cuba.

According to Karasin, sanctions and restrictions are contrary to international practice, the UN Charter and common sense.

Garmendia, in turn, thanked the Federation Council for adopting the proclamation of support for Cuba and highlighted the progress in cooperation between the two countries and within the framework of international organizations.

The head of the Cuban diplomatic mission in Russia expressed confidence that mutual visits between representatives of the two countries’ parliaments will be resumed this year and in 2022, after being cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The two sides discussed the possibility of joint efforts to combat the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus and carry out an effective vaccination campaign.

The statement adopted by the Russian Senate on June 2 stressed that in modern conditions, when the world is facing Covid-19, the US restrictions against Cuba ‘run against the efforts of the world community.’

He noted that the U.S. policy against the Antille Island contradicts the UN call for the lifting of sanctions imposed on other countries in the midst of the pandemic.

The Russian Senate drew attention to the fact that 28 UN General Assembly resolutions on the need to end the US blockade against Cuba were adopted by the overwhelming majority of member states.

It urged other State parliaments, as well as regional and international legislative bodies to ‘express their solidarity with the Republic of Cuba and the Cuban people’.

The statement called for support for General Assembly resolutions aimed at ‘ending the longstanding economic, commercial and financial blockade against the Cuban Republic.’