MOSCOW. JULY 3, 2026. PIR PRESS. «It’s easy for the inexperienced to be misled into thinking of Cuba as a compliant junior partner hooked on the cultura de propina (‘culture of tipping’). In reality, Cuba stands on its own two feet. One can and should sympathize with it due to that abhorrent policy of suffocation adopted by its unrestrained northern neighbor. But there’s no need to shower it with handouts: even if they’re in the form of oil, or to mourn it as if it were terminally ill or already on its deathbed. It won’t appreciate your tears. Because you’re burying it. But it’s alive! One of the most prominent fighters for Cuban independence, Céspedes, once came to the conclusion that, as a Cuban, he must start a new tradition where everything is like a celebration: generous friendship, boundless improvisation. This was followed by decades of struggle, decades of oppression, decades of vassal dependence, and then, for seven decades now, the most brutal blockade imposed by the United States. Cuba survives. And the tradition established by Céspedes – one in which there is room for celebration, friendship, and improvisation – is as alive as Cuba itself», – Dr. Vladimir Orlov, PIR Center Founding Director, MGIMO University Professor.
PIR Center is delighted to announce the launch of a new section on its website dedicated to the special topic: “Russia–Cuba.” The relevance of the Russian-Cuban agenda has risen sharply following the recent Plenum of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Republic of Cuba, at which decisions were approved to further adjust the economic model and deepen socialist construction amid the tightening of the U.S. blockade. The Plenum reaffirmed Havana’s commitment to strengthening digital transformation and developing the biotechnology and energy sectors – precisely those areas in which Moscow and Havana are capable of forging a completely new model of cooperation.
In a new section on our website, you can find materials dedicated to various aspects of the current state and prospects of cooperation between Moscow and Havana, starting from a historical retrospective of the Republic’s cooperation with the USSR and ending with the prospects for the development of nuclear energy on the island.
A separate section features the blog by Dr. Vladimir Orlov, PIR Center Founding Director and professor at MGIMO University, entitled “Cuba: An Island on the Eve,” posted on his personal website Orloff.World, and based on his findings from his recent tour of duty to the Republic of Cuba. During his visit to Cuba, Dr. Vladimir Orlov spent several weeks working on articles for the Kommersant Daily, the International Affairs Journal, etc., as well as gathering material for his new book. PIR Center Director had previously visited Cuba, working there in the late 1980s, then in the early 2000s, and ten years ago, when he spent over a month traveling across the entire island, including its most remote, completely off-the-beaten-path corners.
Those interested in the current state of Russian-Cuban relations should check out the Dr. Vladimir Orlov’s new thematic blog. This blog offers a rare opportunity to view the Island of Freedom through the lens of an international relations expert, where readers can find a direct answer to the question: what is the foundation of Russian-Cuban relations today? We are also eager to share the news that the articles by Dr. Vladimir Orlov published on his blog, based on his trip to the Republic of Cuba, will be included in a PIR Center Director’s new book.
The new “Russia–Cuba” section is a dynamic, constantly updated space where the Island of Freedom speaks for itself: without condescension, myths, or imposed roles. PIR Center invites young international relations professionals, experts, and anyone interested in an authentic rather than a superficial picture of bilateral relations to visit the section and see Cuba as it truly is: resilient and open to genuine friendship and cooperation.
