Russian Senate Calls for an End to U.S. Blockade Against Cuba

The Federation Council (the upper house of the Russian Parliament) today called on international organizations to condemn the United States' economic, commercial, and financial blockade against Cuba.

"The Federation Council calls on the Inter-Parliamentary Union, other international parliamentary organizations, as well as the parliaments of foreign states to resolutely condemn the anti-Cuban sanctions policy carried out by the United States," stated a declaration released to the press on Wednesday.

The text similarly calls for support of the UN General Assembly resolutions on the need to end the economic, commercial, and financial blockade imposed by the United States against Cuba.

Russian senators stated that Washington's sanctions policy is a clear violation of the universally recognized principles and norms of international law, including those enshrined in the UN Charter.

"This is evidenced by the resolutions adopted over more than 30 years by the UN General Assembly on the need to end the economic, commercial, and financial blockade imposed by the United States against Cuba, which are supported by the overwhelming majority of UN member states," the parliamentarians concluded.

Furthermore, Moscow emphasized the necessity of repealing the Helms-Burton Act, which was adopted by Washington on March 12, 1996 and hinders the development of Cuba's trade, economic, and financial relations with foreign states.

Additionally, the Russian parliamentarians advocated for the immediate exclusion of the island nation from the list of state sponsors of terrorism, as well as from the list of countries that allegedly practice human trafficking and forced labor or carry out corresponding policies, lists to which Cuba was added by the U.S. Department of State.