Report: Prime Minister says Cuba ready to repay debt to Russia fully

MOSCOW, Oct 7 (PRIME) -- Cuba pays for its debt to Russia and is ready to redeem the entire debt, even if it is late on some payments, while Russia no longer provides no free financing, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev told channel Rossiya 1 in an interview on October 5, after visiting Cuba.

“Our Cuban friends redeem their debt unlike some time ago, say 20–30 years ago, in the Soviet times, when the money was spent like there was no tomorrow. Our Cuban friends do pay now,” Medvedev said. “Free-of-charge help, free supplies… Everything has changed in this world. There is no Soviet Union any more, Cuba is changing, and we do not and cannot discuss free help which we would have to write off.”

Russia will find a way to help Cuba get oil and oil products amid U.S. restrictions, Medvedev said. “We have talked about this today and agreed that we will in fact, create a plan for energy supplies to Cuba having in mind both traditional sources, hydrocarbons, and maybe some other possibilities which exist.”

Medvedev said that an agreement on Cuban railway repair was signed during his visit.

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